Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PacersatCeltics

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

2. #2

   MavericksatPelicans

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   PistonsatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

4. #4

   HornetsatCavaliers

   NBA· Peacock

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

5. #5

   MagicatWarriors

   NBABack and forth

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

6. #6

   GrizzliesatThunder

   NBA· Peacock

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

7. #7

   JazzatNuggets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   0/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

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.