Worth the replay?

Saturday, April 4's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
SpursatNuggets
NBA· Prime VideoOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
74/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Overtime+8
Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74
#2
Maple LeafsatKings
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
72/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72
#3
CanadiensatDevils
NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings23/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#4
IllinoisatUConn
CBB· TBS/truTV/HBO MaxBack and forth
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension26/30
Swings21/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#5
OklahomaatBaylor
CBB· FoxDown to the wire
C+
52/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late11/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52
#6
BruinsatLightning
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#7
FlamesatDucks
NHL· ESPN+
C
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings19/25
Comeback9/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#8
PredatorsatSharks
NHL· ESPN+
C
40/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension21/30
Swings23/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40
#9
JetsatBlue Jackets
NHL· ESPN+
C
36/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings9/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36
#10
BlackhawksatKraken
NHL· ESPN+
D
34/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension23/30
Swings11/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late7/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34
#11
AvalancheatStars
NHL· ABC/ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension20/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late4/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#12
MammothatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension16/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#13
IslandersatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
18/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings12/25
Comeback1/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18
#14
MichiganatArizona
CBB· TBS/truTV/HBO MaxOne-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings16/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#15
SabresatCapitals
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings17/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#16
PanthersatPenguins
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#17
West VirginiaatCreighton
CBB· FoxOne-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13
#18
Red WingsatRangers
NHL· ABCOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#19
Pistonsat76ers
NBA· NBA TVOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#20
WildatSenators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings10/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#21
Golden KnightsatOilers
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#22
WizardsatHeat
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

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.