Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HeatatPacers

   NBABig comeback

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

2. #2

   KnicksatThunder

   NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

3. #3

   WarriorsatNuggets

   NBA· NBC/Peacock

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

4. #4

   RocketsatPelicans

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

5. #5

   MagicatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

6. #6

   CelticsatHornets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   WizardsatTrail Blazers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

8. #8

   KingsatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

9. #9

   ClippersatBucks

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

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.