Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HawksatMagic

   NBADown to the wire

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 76) = 71

2. #2

   TimberwolvesatHeat

   NBA· ESPNBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 71

3. #3

   PacersatPelicans

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 61

4. #4

   New Mexico StatSam Houston

   CFB· ESPN2Back and forth

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 32

5. #5

   BucksatWizards

   NBABack and forth

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 13) = 28

6. #6

   HornetsatNets

   NBA

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 30) = 28

7. #7

   JazzatGrizzlies

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.80 (pre-game Watchability 59) = 23

8. #8

   PanthersatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.89 (pre-game Watchability 78) = 19

9. #9

   FlyersatSabres

   NHL· TNT/truTVOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 14) = 12

10. #10

    MavericksatRockets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 10

11. #11

    KingsatClippers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 5) = 5

12. #12

    WarriorsatLakers

    NBA· ESPNOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 30) = 4

13. #13

    SunsatTrail Blazers

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 49) = 4

14. #14

    BullsatRaptors

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings3/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 10) = 2

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.