Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HornetsatCavaliers

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   LakersatSuns

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

3. #3

   WarriorsatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   PelicansatBulls

   NBABack and forth

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

5. #5

   76ersatHawks

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

6. #6

   KingsatTimberwolves

   NBA

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

7. #7

   WizardsatPacers

   NBA

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

8. #8

   BucksatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 13 × 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.