Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CavaliersatBucks

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   SpursatRaptors

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

3. #3

   ThunderatPistons

   NBA· ESPN

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension29/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

4. #4

   CelticsatNuggets

   NBA· ESPN

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   WarriorsatGrizzlies

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

6. #6

   KingsatRockets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

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.