Worth the replay?

1. #1

   ClippersatRockets

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   CelticsatBucks

   NBABig comeback

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

3. #3

   Trail BlazersatPelicans

   NBA

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

4. #4

   NuggetsatKings

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 12 × 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.