Worth the replay?

1. #1

   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

2. #2

   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

3. #3

   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

4. #4

   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

5. #5

   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

6. #6

   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

7. #7

   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

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.