Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LakersatSuns

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   RocketsatMagic

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

3. #3

   TimberwolvesatClippers

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

4. #4

   Trail BlazersatBulls

   NBABack and forth

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

5. #5

   KingsatMavericks

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

6. #6

   Heatat76ers

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

7. #7

   HornetsatPacers

   NBABack and forthOne-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

8. #8

   PelicansatJazz

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

9. #9

   SpursatNets

   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

10. #10

    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.