Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LakersatMavericks

   NBA· ABCDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   CelticsatBulls

   NBA· Watch/ESPN AppDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

3. #3

   Knicksat76ers

   NBA· ABCBack and forth

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension26/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   WizardsatHornets

   NBA

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

5. #5

   CavaliersatMagic

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

6. #6

   HeatatJazz

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

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.