Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PelicansatKings

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

2. #2

   Timberwolvesat76ers

   NBABack and forth

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

3. #3

   MagicatMavericks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

4. #4

   RaptorsatGrizzlies

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

5. #5

   JazzatRockets

   NBAOne-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

6. #6

   HawksatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   PacersatHornets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   BullsatKnicks

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   CelticsatBucks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

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.