Worth the replay?

Sunday, April 5'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
OklahomaatWest Virginia
CBB· FoxOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
TulsaatAuburn
CBB· ESPN2/ESPN UnlmtdOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#3
MagicatPelicans
NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#4
WizardsatNets
NBADown to the wire
B
64/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings24/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64
#5
BluesatAvalanche
NHL· ESPNDown to the wire
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#6
RocketsatWarriors
NBA· NBC/PeacockDown to the wireBack and forth
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback5/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#7
WildatRed Wings
NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVDown to the wire
B
59/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59
#8
BruinsatFlyers
NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire
C+
50/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings11/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50
#9
LakersatMavericks
NBA· NBC/Peacock
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46
#10
SunsatBulls
NBA
C+
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings15/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45
#11
GrizzliesatBucks
NBA
C
40/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension23/30
Swings17/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late5/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40
#12
RaptorsatCeltics
NBA· NBA TVBack and forth
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension8/30
Swings16/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late1/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#13
PacersatCavaliers
NBA
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension12/30
Swings16/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#14
HornetsatTimberwolves
NBA
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings17/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24
#15
HurricanesatSenators
NHL· ESPN+
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension1/30
Swings12/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#16
DevilsatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension5/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14
#17
CapitalsatRangers
NHL· ESPNOne-sided
D
10/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings9/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10
#18
PanthersatPenguins
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#19
ClippersatKings
NBAOne-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings3/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3
#20
JazzatThunder
NBAOne-sided
D
0/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings0/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 0

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.