Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TimberwolvesatNuggets

   NBA· ABC/ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   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

   CavaliersatKnicks

   NBA· ABC/ESPNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

3. #3

   MavericksatWarriors

   NBA· ABC/ESPN

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension27/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

4. #4

   SpursatThunder

   NBA· ABC/ESPNBig comeback

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   RocketsatLakers

   NBA· ABC/ESPNOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.