Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TimberwolvesatJazz

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   SpursatRockets

   NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

3. #3

   LakersatNuggets

   NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

4. #4

   Sunsat76ers

   NBABack and forth

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

5. #5

   RaptorsatWarriors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

6. #6

   HeatatKings

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

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.