Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   NuggetsatMavericks

   NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

3. #3

   MagicatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

4. #4

   WizardsatHornets

   NBA

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

5. #5

   Netsat76ers

   NBABig comebackBack and forth

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

6. #6

   KnicksatTimberwolves

   NBA

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

7. #7

   ThunderatSpurs

   NBA

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

8. #8

   GrizzliesatJazz

   NBA

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension9/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

9. #9

   RocketsatClippers

   NBA· NBC/Peacock

   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

10. #10

    RaptorsatHeat

    NBA

    D

    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

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

11. #11

    LakersatSuns

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback5/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

12. #12

    BucksatPacers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

13. #13

    PelicansatCavaliers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

14. #14

    PistonsatKings

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.