Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CelticsatPacers

   NBA· PeacockDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

2. #2

   JazzatCavaliers

   NBABig comeback

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   HornetsatClippers

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

4. #4

   LakersatKings

   NBABig comeback

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37

5. #5

   NetsatMavericks

   NBA

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension28/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

6. #6

   76ersatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback4/20

   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.