Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PistonsatThunder

   NBA· Peacock/NBCSNOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   76ersatHeat

   NBA· Peacock/NBCSNDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

3. #3

   SunsatGrizzlies

   NBABig comebackBack and forth

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

4. #4

   CavaliersatJazz

   NBADown to the wire

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

5. #5

   CelticsatHawks

   NBA

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

6. #6

   TimberwolvesatMavericks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

7. #7

   BullsatSpurs

   NBA· Peacock/NBCSN ExtraOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

8. #8

   WizardsatLakers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 5 × 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.