Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PennatYale

   CBB· ESPN2OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   VanderbiltatArkansas

   CBB· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

3. #3

   DucksatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

4. #4

   Trail Blazersat76ers

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

5. #5

   PistonsatRaptors

   NBABack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

6. #6

   WarriorsatKnicks

   NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   JazzatKings

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

8. #8

   SharksatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

9. #9

   PurdueatMichigan

   CBB· CBSBack and forth

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

10. #10

    Maple LeafsatWild

    NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

    C+

    46/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension26/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late9/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

11. #11

    TimberwolvesatThunder

    NBA· ABC

    D

    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension3/30

    Swings17/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

12. #12

    PacersatBucks

    NBABack and forth

    D

    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback8/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

13. #13

    MavericksatCavaliers

    NBA· NBA TV

    D

    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback14/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

14. #14

    BluesatJets

    NHL· NHL Net

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

15. #15

    PredatorsatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension17/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

16. #16

    Wichita StatSouth Florida

    CBB· ESPNOne-sided

    D

    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

17. #17

    DaytonatVCU

    CBB· CBSOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension7/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

18. #18

    PanthersatKraken

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.