Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PistonsatMavericks

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   KingsatTrail Blazers

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   KnicksatPacers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

4. #4

   RocketsatPelicans

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

5. #5

   WarriorsatSuns

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

6. #6

   HawksatHornets

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

7. #7

   LakersatJazz

   NBA

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

8. #8

   HeatatNets

   NBA

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

9. #9

   RaptorsatBucks

   NBA

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

10. #10

    MagicatNuggets

    NBABig comeback

    D

    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension6/30

    Swings20/25

    Comeback15/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

11. #11

    WizardsatSpurs

    NBABack and forthOne-sided

    D

    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

12. #12

    ClippersatThunder

    NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

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.