Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CelticsatKnicks

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   HeatatRaptors

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

3. #3

   BullsatWizards

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

4. #4

   LakersatWarriors

   NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   76ersatRockets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

6. #6

   PacersatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

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.