Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PistonsatBucks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   SpursatMagic

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

3. #3

   HeatatMavericks

   NBA· NBA TV

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

4. #4

   Trail BlazersatCavaliers

   NBABig comeback

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

5. #5

   NetsatBulls

   NBA

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

6. #6

   ClippersatHawks

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   KingsatRockets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

8. #8

   NuggetsatPacers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

9. #9

   HornetsatKnicks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

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.