Worth the replay?
Saturday, March 7's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.
Best games of the season →- #1NetsatPistonsNBADown to the wireBig comebackB+67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings19/25Comeback20/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
- #2ClippersatGrizzliesNBADown to the wireBig comebackB+67/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings21/25Comeback16/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth8/10Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67
- #376ersatHawksNBA· NBA TVC+52/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings16/25Comeback11/20Decided late5/15Back-and-forth8/10Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52
- #4WarriorsatThunderNBA· ABCDown to the wireC+47/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings12/25Comeback0/20Decided late15/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47
- #5JazzatBucksNBAC+46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30Swings14/25Comeback0/20Decided late10/15Back-and-forth8/10Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
- #6MagicatTimberwolvesNBA· Prime VideoBig comebackD28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30Swings17/25Comeback14/20Decided late0/15Back-and-forth5/10Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
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.