Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SunsatSpurs

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

2. #2

   ClippersatPelicans

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

3. #3

   LakersatHeat

   NBABig comeback

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

4. #4

   CavaliersatBulls

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   BucksatJazz

   NBA

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

6. #6

   MagicatHornets

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

7. #7

   76ersatKings

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

8. #8

   PistonsatWizards

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings0/25

   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.