Worth the replay?

1. #1

   76ersatKnicks

   NBA· NBCDown to the wire

   A

   80/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 98) = 80

2. #2

   CelticsatPistons

   NBA· NBCDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   78/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 93) = 78

3. #3

   ThunderatSpurs

   NBA· NBC

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension10/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 1.00 (pre-game Watchability 100) = 27

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.