Worth the replay?

Monday, January 26'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
Jackson StatFlorida A&M
CBBDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
73/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73
#2
Morgan StatNorfolk St
CBBDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback19/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#3
C ConnecticutatStonehill
CBBDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#4
BruinsatRangers
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69
#5
ArizonaatBYU
CBB· ESPN
C+
47/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension28/30
Swings16/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47
#6
Delaware StatSC State
CBB· ESPN+
C
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#7
UT Rio GrandeatTexas A&M-CC
CBB· ESPN+Back and forth
C
42/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings22/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42
#8
GrizzliesatRockets
NBA
C
42/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings21/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42
#9
PacersatHawks
NBABig comeback
C
41/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension10/30
Swings21/25
Comeback16/20
Decided late2/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41
#10
LakersatBulls
NBA
D
32/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings19/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32
#11
MagicatCavaliers
NBA· Peacock
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension8/30
Swings18/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#12
DucksatOilers
NHL· ESPN+
D
25/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension13/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25
#13
76ersatHornets
NBABack and forth
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings19/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#14
Le MoyneatFDU
CBB
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension12/30
Swings13/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22
#15
MammothatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
D
20/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension18/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late1/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20
#16
Penn StateatOhio State
CBB· FS1
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension15/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#17
WarriorsatTimberwolves
NBA· PeacockOne-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings13/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#18
Trail BlazersatCeltics
NBA· PeacockOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension9/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#19
LouisvilleatDuke
CBB· ESPNOne-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#20
IslandersatFlyers
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#21
Alcorn StatBethune
CBBOne-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension7/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

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.