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

   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

4. #4

   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

5. #5

   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

6. #6

   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

7. #7

   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

8. #8

   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

9. #9

   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

10. #10

    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.