Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HawksatGrizzlies

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

2. #2

   RaptorsatKings

   NBABack and forth

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   PistonsatPelicans

   NBA

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

4. #4

   CavaliersatHornets

   NBA· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

5. #5

   PacersatCeltics

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

6. #6

   NetsatKnicks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

7. #7

   ThunderatBucks

   NBA· ESPNOne-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.