Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HornetsatSuns

   NBA· Peacock/NBCSN

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

2. #2

   BullsatKings

   NBA

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

3. #3

   CelticsatCavaliers

   NBA· ABC

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension9/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

4. #4

   KnicksatLakers

   NBA· ABC

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

5. #5

   PistonsatHeat

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

6. #6

   WizardsatPelicans

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

7. #7

   RocketsatSpurs

   NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

8. #8

   PacersatTrail Blazers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

9. #9

   MagicatBucks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

10. #10

    MavericksatRaptors

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

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.