Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HeatatPistons

   NBA

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

2. #2

   CelticsatKings

   NBABack and forth

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   JazzatClippers

   NBA

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

4. #4

   76ersatMavericks

   NBA· NBA TV

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension10/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

5. #5

   RocketsatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

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.