Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BucksatNets

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

2. #2

   KingsatWarriors

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

3. #3

   HornetsatCeltics

   NBA· NBC/PeacockBack and forth

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

4. #4

   RocketsatSuns

   NBA· NBC/PeacockBig comeback

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

5. #5

   MavericksatClippers

   NBA

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

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

6. #6

   JazzatPelicans

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

7. #7

   HeatatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

8. #8

   ThunderatLakers

   NBAOne-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

9. #9

   BullsatWizards

   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

10. #10

    TimberwolvesatPacers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × 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.