Worth the replay?

Tuesday, March 17'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
SF AustinatTulsa
CBB· ESPNUOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
UNC WilmingtonatYale
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback19/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#3
PredatorsatJets
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
71/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71
#4
DavidsonatOklahoma St
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wire
B
61/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61
#5
St ThomasatSeattle U
CBB· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#6
LibertyatGeorge Mason
CBB· ESPN2Down to the wire
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#7
BruinsatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings14/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#8
ThunderatMagic
NBABack and forth
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57
#9
TexasatNC State
CBB· truTVDown to the wire
B
57/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57
#10
WildatBlackhawks
NHL· TNT/HBO MaxOvertimeDown to the wire
B
56/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56
#11
UMBCatHoward
CBB· truTV
C+
55/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension27/30
Swings17/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55
#12
UNLVatUC Irvine
CBB· ESPNUDown to the wire
C+
52/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52
#13
WyomingatWichita St
CBB· ESPNUDown to the wire
C+
47/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late12/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47
#14
CavaliersatBucks
NBA· NBC/Peacock
C
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#15
SabresatGolden Knights
NHL· ESPN+
D
30/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings10/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30
#16
SharksatOilers
NHL· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings19/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#17
SunsatTimberwolves
NBA
D
21/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings14/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21
#18
PanthersatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
17/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17
#19
HeatatHornets
NBAOne-sided
D
15/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings12/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15
#20
South AlabamaatAuburn
CBB· ESPN2One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#21
LightningatKraken
NHL· TNT/HBO MaxOne-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#22
PacersatKnicks
NBAOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#23
HurricanesatBlue Jackets
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8
#24
IslandersatMaple Leafs
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings5/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#25
PistonsatWizards
NBAOne-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings2/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#26
76ersatNuggets
NBA· NBC/PeacockOne-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2
#27
SpursatKings
NBAOne-sided
D
2/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings2/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

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.