Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MavericksatJazz

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   RocketsatNuggets

   NBA· PeacockOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   PistonsatCeltics

   NBA· PeacockDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

4. #4

   RaptorsatHeat

   NBABack and forth

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

5. #5

   GrizzliesatClippers

   NBA

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

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.