Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HornetsatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

2. #2

   LakersatJazz

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

3. #3

   Heatat76ers

   NBA

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

4. #4

   NetsatRaptors

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

5. #5

   SpursatSuns

   NBA

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

6. #6

   ClippersatCavaliers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

7. #7

   MagicatCeltics

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

8. #8

   Trail BlazersatThunder

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   0/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

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.