Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Kingsat76ers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

2. #2

   HornetsatMavericks

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

3. #3

   NetsatNuggets

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

4. #4

   BucksatWizards

   NBA· Prime Video

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

5. #5

   HeatatBulls

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

6. #6

   PistonsatSuns

   NBA

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

7. #7

   ThunderatTimberwolves

   NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   RocketsatHawks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

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.