Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatNuggets

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   Clippersat76ers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

3. #3

   HornetsatRaptors

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

4. #4

   KnicksatHeat

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

5. #5

   BucksatCavaliers

   NBA· Peacock

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

6. #6

   MavericksatTimberwolves

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

7. #7

   PacersatPistons

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

8. #8

   ThunderatPelicans

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.