Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

2. #2

   KnicksatMavericks

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

3. #3

   Raptorsat76ers

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

4. #4

   RocketsatCavaliers

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

5. #5

   WarriorsatHeat

   NBA

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

6. #6

   WizardsatTimberwolves

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

7. #7

   HornetsatPacers

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

8. #8

   NuggetsatPelicans

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

9. #9

   KingsatThunder

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

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.