Worth the replay?

1. #1

   GrizzliesatPelicans

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   RocketsatWarriors

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   PacersatRaptors

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

4. #4

   PistonsatCeltics

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

5. #5

   TimberwolvesatThunder

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

6. #6

   BucksatHeat

   NBA

   C

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension26/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

7. #7

   SpursatTrail Blazers

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

8. #8

   SunsatKings

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

9. #9

   KnicksatHornets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.