Worth the replay?

Friday, March 20'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. #1
    Santa ClaraatKentucky
    CBB· CBSOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A
    75/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

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

  2. #2
    Utah StateatVillanova
    CBB· TNTDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    A
    75/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback20/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  3. #3
    RaptorsatNuggets
    NBADown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

  4. #4
    Trail BlazersatTimberwolves
    NBADown to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    67/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback10/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

  5. #5
    HurricanesatMaple Leafs
    NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    61/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10
    Overtime+8

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

  6. #6
    KnicksatNets
    NBADown to the wire
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  7. #7
    CelticsatGrizzlies
    NBADown to the wire
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  8. #8
    Wright StatVirginia
    CBB· TBSDown to the wireBack and forth
    C+
    49/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

  9. #9
    MissouriatMiami
    CBB· truTV
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension19/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

  10. #10
    DucksatMammoth
    NHL· ESPN+
    C
    39/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension22/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

  11. #11
    IowaatClemson
    CBB· TNT
    D
    35/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension22/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late8/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

  12. #12
    PanthersatFlames
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

  13. #13
    DevilsatCapitals
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension19/30
    Swings8/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

  14. #14
    HofstraatAlabama
    CBB· truTV
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension10/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

  15. #15
    WarriorsatPistons
    NBA
    D
    23/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

  16. #16
    UCFatUCLA
    CBB· TBS
    D
    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  17. #17
    HawksatRockets
    NBA· NBA TVOne-sided
    D
    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

  18. #18
    AkronatTexas Tech
    CBB· truTVOne-sided
    D
    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings8/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

  19. #19
    FurmanatUConn
    CBB· TBSOne-sided
    D
    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

  20. #20
    CA BaptistatKansas
    CBB· CBSOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  21. #21
    Miami OHatTennessee
    CBB· TBSOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings3/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  22. #22
    AvalancheatBlackhawks
    NHL· ESPN+One-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

  23. #23
    Northern IowaatSt John's
    CBB· CBSOne-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings2/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

  24. #24
    Prairie ViewatFlorida
    CBB· TNTOne-sided
    D
    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings0/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 2

  25. #25
    Long IslandatArizona
    CBB· TNTOne-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

  26. #26
    Tennessee StatIowa State
    CBB· CBSOne-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

  27. #27
    QueensatPurdue
    CBB· truTVOne-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.

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