Worth the replay?

1. #1

   JazzatMagic

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   CavaliersatKings

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   RocketsatThunder

   NBA· ABCDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   GrizzliesatTrail Blazers

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

5. #5

   HornetsatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

6. #6

   NuggetsatBulls

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

7. #7

   WarriorsatLakers

   NBA· ABCDown to the wire

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

8. #8

   76ersatSuns

   NBA

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

9. #9

   MavericksatSpurs

   NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

10. #10

    WizardsatNets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.