Worth the replay?

Thursday, December 4's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
Red WingsatBlue Jackets
NHL· ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
Robert MorrisatGreen Bay
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
B+
73/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback19/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73
#3
Warriorsat76ers
NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback20/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
#4
Long Beach StatSanta Barbara
CBB· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
#5
JazzatNets
NBADown to the wireBig comeback
B
64/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback16/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64
#6
LakersatRaptors
NBADown to the wire
B
62/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62
#7
PredatorsatPanthers
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings13/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#8
Cal PolyatFullerton
CBB· ESPN+
B
56/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension28/30
Swings18/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56
#9
PenguinsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
B
55/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55
#10
RideratMerrimack
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
C+
52/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52
#11
UC DavisatHawai'i
CBB· ESPN+
C
41/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension21/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41
#12
BlackhawksatKings
NHL· ESPN+/Hulu
D
34/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension24/30
Swings8/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late8/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34
#13
TimberwolvesatPelicans
NBABack and forth
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings18/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late2/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31
#14
CowboysatLions
NFL· Prime Video
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#15
RangersatSenators
NHL· ESPN+
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension18/30
Swings10/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#16
BakersfieldatCSU Northridge
CBB· ESPN+
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings18/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#17
AvalancheatIslanders
NHL· ESPN+
D
21/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings17/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21
#18
WildatFlames
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings16/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#19
Maple LeafsatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings12/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#20
Utah StateatSouth Florida
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#21
BluesatBruins
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#22
KrakenatOilers
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#23
CelticsatWizards
NBAOne-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#24
UC RiversideatUC Irvine
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
5/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5
#25
The CitadelatDavidson
CBB· ESPN+One-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2
#26
ManoratFDU
CBBOne-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
#27
Warren WilsonatCharleston So
CBB· ESPN+One-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.