Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CavaliersatNuggets

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   JazzatHeat

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

3. #3

   GrizzliesatWarriors

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

4. #4

   ThunderatLakers

   NBA· PeacockDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

5. #5

   BullsatNets

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

6. #6

   PistonsatHornets

   NBA

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

7. #7

   76ersatTrail Blazers

   NBABack and forth

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

8. #8

   BucksatMagic

   NBA· PeacockOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

9. #9

   HawksatTimberwolves

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

10. #10

    KingsatPelicans

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

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.