Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Trail BlazersatSpurs

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

2. #2

   HornetsatBulls

   NBABig comeback

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   RocketsatMavericks

   NBABig comebackBack and forth

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension9/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

4. #4

   JazzatWarriors

   NBABack and forth

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension9/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

5. #5

   76ersatKnicks

   NBA· NBA TV

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

6. #6

   TimberwolvesatHeat

   NBA· NBA TV

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

7. #7

   HawksatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   CelticsatClippers

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

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.