Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RaptorsatMagic

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

2. #2

   NetsatJazz

   NBABack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   PistonsatWarriors

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

4. #4

   ClippersatNuggets

   NBA

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

5. #5

   GrizzliesatPelicans

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

6. #6

   CavaliersatSuns

   NBA

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

7. #7

   Trail BlazersatKnicks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

8. #8

   LakersatWizards

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

9. #9

   KingsatCeltics

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

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.