Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PistonsatWizards

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   TimberwolvesatHeat

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

3. #3

   76ersatCeltics

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

4. #4

   HawksatPacers

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

5. #5

   KingsatWarriors

   NBA

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

6. #6

   SpursatSuns

   NBA· ESPN2

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

7. #7

   ClippersatRaptors

   NBA

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

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.