Worth the replay?

1. #1

   NetsatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   NuggetsatWarriors

   NBA· ABCDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

3. #3

   MagicatClippers

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

4. #4

   KnicksatBulls

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

5. #5

   CavaliersatThunder

   NBA· ABC

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

6. #6

   MavericksatPacers

   NBA

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension28/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   76ersatTimberwolves

   NBA

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

8. #8

   Trail BlazersatSuns

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

9. #9

   RaptorsatBucks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

10. #10

    CelticsatLakers

    NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

11. #11

    HornetsatWizards

    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.