Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LakersatRockets

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   NuggetsatGrizzlies

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

3. #3

   ClippersatPelicans

   NBABig comeback

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

4. #4

   Trail BlazersatPacers

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

5. #5

   HawksatMavericks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

6. #6

   JazzatTimberwolves

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

7. #7

   WarriorsatCeltics

   NBA· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

8. #8

   RaptorsatBulls

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

9. #9

   ThunderatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   0/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

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.