Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RocketsatSpurs

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wireBack and forth

   A

   77/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 77

2. #2

   KnicksatCeltics

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wire

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.99 (pre-game Watchability 99) = 71

3. #3

   GrizzliesatWarriors

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 63

4. #4

   BullsatBucks

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.58 (pre-game Watchability 15) = 58

5. #5

   PelicansatJazz

   NBADown to the wire

   C+

   47/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 18) = 47

6. #6

   MavericksatPacers

   NBA

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 44

7. #7

   Trail BlazersatKings

   NBA

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.53 (pre-game Watchability 6) = 31

8. #8

   ClippersatLakers

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 24) = 23

9. #9

   RaptorsatWizards

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 61) = 23

10. #10

    TimberwolvesatMagic

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 83) = 13

11. #11

    PistonsatHeat

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 86) = 11

12. #12

    HawksatHornets

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 74) = 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.