Worth the replay?

Friday, January 9's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →
  1. #1
    ThunderatGrizzlies
    NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  2. #2
    UNLVatColorado St
    CBB· CBSSNDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  3. #3
    CanisiusatManhattan
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  4. #4
    RocketsatTrail Blazers
    NBADown to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

  5. #5
    USCatMinnesota
    CBB· BTNOvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    66/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

  6. #6
    BucksatLakers
    NBA· NBA TVDown to the wire
    B+
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  7. #7
    Saint Peter'satMount St Marys
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  8. #8
    MaristatSacred Heart
    CBB· ESPN+
    B
    60/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension29/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

  9. #9
    KnicksatSuns
    NBADown to the wire
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

  10. #10
    MerrimackatSiena
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    56/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

  11. #11
    Wright StatDetroit Mercy
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    48/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

  12. #12
    RideratFairfield
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  13. #13
    AkronatBowling Green
    CBB· CBSSN
    C
    41/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 55 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

  14. #14
    76ersatMagic
    NBABack and forth
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  15. #15
    HawksatNuggets
    NBA
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

  16. #16
    RaptorsatCeltics
    NBA
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension16/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  17. #17
    PelicansatWizards
    NBA
    D
    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension7/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

  18. #18
    N KentuckyatMilwaukee
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  19. #19
    KingsatWarriors
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

  20. #20
    IU IndyatGreen Bay
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  21. #21
    KingsatJets
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  22. #22
    Cleveland StatOakland
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  23. #23
    BluesatMammoth
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  24. #24
    OregonatIndiana
    CFB· ESPNOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings4/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 95, estimated) = 7

  25. #25
    CapitalsatBlackhawks
    NHL· NHL NetOne-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings8/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  26. #26
    Miami OHatToledo
    CBB· CBSSNOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  27. #27
    ClippersatNets
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  28. #28
    Bryant Str OHatYoungstown St
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  29. #29
    NiagaraatIona
    CBB· ESPN+One-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.

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