Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PelicansatTimberwolves

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

2. #2

   HeatatCeltics

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   PacersatBucks

   NBA

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension26/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

4. #4

   ClippersatKings

   NBA· Prime Video

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

5. #5

   GrizzliesatTrail Blazers

   NBA

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

6. #6

   KnicksatPistons

   NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

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.