Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RocketsatHeat

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   RaptorsatWizards

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

3. #3

   PelicansatJazz

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

4. #4

   Trail BlazersatHornets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

5. #5

   LakersatWarriors

   NBA· ABCOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

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.