Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BullsatNuggets

   NBA· ESPNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   MavericksatRockets

   NBA· NBA TV

   C

   39/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

3. #3

   BucksatHornets

   NBA

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

4. #4

   MagicatCavaliers

   NBA· ESPN

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

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.