Worth the replay?

Monday, February 2's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →
  1. #1
    KansasatTexas Tech
    CBB· ESPNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

  2. #2
    CanadiensatWild
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

  3. #3
    JetsatStars
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  4. #4
    Incarnate WordatTexas A&M-CC
    CBB· CBSSNDown to the wire
    B+
    66/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

  5. #5
    Tennessee TechatTennessee St
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  6. #6
    SouthernatJackson St
    CBBOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  7. #7
    NichollsatN'Western St
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    60/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

  8. #8
    McNeeseatSF Austin
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  9. #9
    MD EasternatNC Central
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

  10. #10
    RocketsatPacers
    NBABack and forth
    C+
    55/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  11. #11
    PelicansatHornets
    NBABig comeback
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

  12. #12
    BluesatPredators
    NHL· ESPN+Big comeback
    C+
    52/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension19/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late3/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

  13. #13
    SenatorsatPenguins
    NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C+
    51/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

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

  14. #14
    SabresatPanthers
    NHL· ESPN+
    C+
    48/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension21/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

  15. #15
    Boston UatHoly Cross
    CBB· CBSSNBack and forth
    C
    41/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 41

  16. #16
    Red WingsatAvalanche
    NHL· ESPN+
    C
    36/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension24/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late8/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

  17. #17
    Maple LeafsatFlames
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

  18. #18
    Florida A&MatAlabama St
    CBB
    D
    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  19. #19
    TimberwolvesatGrizzlies
    NBA· Peacock
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  20. #20
    Weber StatSacramento St
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

  21. #21
    IslandersatCapitals
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late1/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  22. #22
    LSU N OrleansatEast Texas A&M
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

  23. #23
    SharksatBlackhawks
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

  24. #24
    SE LouisianaatLamar
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  25. #25
    76ersatClippers
    NBA· PeacockOne-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings7/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  26. #26
    CanucksatMammoth
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  27. #27
    BethuneatAlabama A&M
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  28. #28
    GramblingatAlcorn St
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  29. #29
    SyracuseatNorth Carolina
    CBB· ESPNOne-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension4/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  30. #30
    HowardatCoppin St
    CBBOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

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.

Get the weekend's best games every Friday

The most watchable games across every sport, what's at stake in the playoff races, and last week's best games, spoiler-free. Free, one email a week.

Sports you care about