Worth the replay?

Monday, March 9'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 →
  1. #1
    KingsatBlue Jackets
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    73/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

  2. #2
    Detroit MercyatRobert Morris
    CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

  3. #3
    Santa ClaraatSaint Mary's
    CBB· ESPN2Down to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

  4. #4
    TowsonatHofstra
    CBB· CBSSNOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    66/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

  5. #5
    NuggetsatThunder
    NBA· Peacock/NBCSNDown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  6. #6
    MammothatBlackhawks
    NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  7. #7
    WarriorsatJazz
    NBADown to the wire
    B
    63/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

  8. #8
    Alcorn StatAlabama St
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

  9. #9
    Weber StatE Washington
    CBB· ESPN+Down to the wire
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

  10. #10
    N ColoradoatMontana
    CBB· ESPN+
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

  11. #11
    FlamesatCapitals
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    33/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension17/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

  12. #12
    N KentuckyatWright St
    CBB· ESPNUBack and forth
    D
    31/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

  13. #13
    LSU N OrleansatTexas A&M-CC
    CBB· ESPN+
    D
    31/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension17/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

  14. #14
    KnicksatClippers
    NBA· Peacock/NBCSN
    D
    28/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

  15. #15
    GrizzliesatNets
    NBA
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

  16. #16
    FurmanatETSU
    CBB· ESPN
    D
    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

  17. #17
    CampbellatMonmouth
    CBB· CBSSNOne-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  18. #18
    SenatorsatCanucks
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension16/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

  19. #19
    NichollsatUT Rio Grande
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  20. #20
    RangersatFlyers
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

  21. #21
    GA SouthernatTroy
    CBB· ESPN2One-sided
    D
    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  22. #22
    76ersatCavaliers
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings7/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  23. #23
    Miss Valley StatGrambling
    CBB· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  24. #24
    Oregon StatGonzaga
    CBB· ESPNOne-sided
    D
    1/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 1 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 1

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.

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