Worth the replay?

1. #1

   GrizzliesatTimberwolves

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

2. #2

   CavaliersatBulls

   NBABig comeback

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

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.