Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatPacers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   SpursatRockets

   NBA· ESPNBig comeback

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

3. #3

   MagicatHeat

   NBABig comeback

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

4. #4

   KnicksatRaptors

   NBABig comeback

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

5. #5

   LakersatCavaliers

   NBA· ESPN

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

6. #6

   HawksatCeltics

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

7. #7

   HornetsatGrizzlies

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

8. #8

   TimberwolvesatMavericks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

9. #9

   WarriorsatJazz

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 10 × 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.