Worth the replay?

1. #1

   NetsatSuns

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   Trail BlazersatWizards

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   PistonsatNuggets

   NBADown to the wire

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

4. #4

   KingsatKnicks

   NBA

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

5. #5

   PelicansatThunder

   NBA

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

6. #6

   ClippersatJazz

   NBA· NBC/Peacock

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

7. #7

   Bucksat76ers

   NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 20 × 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.