Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BruinsatDevils

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   LakersatRockets

   NBA· Peacock/NBCSNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   SunsatCeltics

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

4. #4

   SpursatClippers

   NBA· NBCSN Extra

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

5. #5

   MammothatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

6. #6

   WarriorsatWizards

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   MavericksatPelicans

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   FlamesatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   PenguinsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

10. #10

    GrizzliesatBulls

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings13/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

11. #11

    KingsatRangers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

12. #12

    MagicatHawks

    NBA· Peacock/NBCSNOne-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

13. #13

    Trail BlazersatNets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.