Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SpursatNuggets

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

2. #2

   CavaliersatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   MagicatPistons

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

4. #4

   BucksatKnicks

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

5. #5

   GrizzliesatClippers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

6. #6

   BullsatHornets

   NBA

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

7. #7

   MavericksatLakers

   NBA· Prime VideoBack and forth

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

8. #8

   SunsatThunder

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

9. #9

   KingsatJazz

   NBA

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

10. #10

    WizardsatPacers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

11. #11

    76ersatNets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.