Worth the replay?

1. #1

   JazzatNuggets

   NBADown 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

2. #2

   ClippersatPacers

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

3. #3

   St John'satDuke

   CBB· CBSDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

4. #4

   MavericksatTrail Blazers

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

5. #5

   HawksatCeltics

   NBA

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

6. #6

   Michigan StatUConn

   CBB· CBSDown to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

7. #7

   WizardsatWarriors

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

8. #8

   TennesseeatIowa State

   CBB· TBS/truTV

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

9. #9

   NetsatLakers

   NBA

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

10. #10

    AlabamaatMichigan

    CBB· TBS/truTVBack and forth

    D

    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension8/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

11. #11

    RocketsatGrizzlies

    NBA

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension15/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

12. #12

    BullsatThunder

    NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

    D

    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

13. #13

    BlackhawksatRangers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

14. #14

    Red WingsatSabres

    NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

15. #15

    PelicansatRaptors

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

16. #16

    HeatatCavaliers

    NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × 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.