Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HeatatBucks

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   MagicatLakers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

3. #3

   WarriorsatPelicans

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

4. #4

   ThunderatRaptors

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

5. #5

   TimberwolvesatTrail Blazers

   NBA· PeacockDown to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

6. #6

   MavericksatNets

   NBA

   C

   39/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

7. #7

   HornetsatBulls

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

8. #8

   CelticsatSuns

   NBA

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

9. #9

   76ersatPacers

   NBA

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

10. #10

    KnicksatCavaliers

    NBA· PeacockOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

11. #11

    WizardsatHawks

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    0/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings0/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

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.