Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HeatatHornets

   NBADown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 70) = 67

2. #2

   PelicansatNuggets

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 61

3. #3

   SpursatMavericks

   NBABack and forth

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 66) = 41

4. #4

   RocketsatHawks

   NBA

   C

   40/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 40

5. #5

   WizardsatBulls

   NBA

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 34

6. #6

   Bucksat76ers

   NBA· NBA TVBack and forth

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 10) = 22

7. #7

   WarriorsatSuns

   NBA· NBA TVBack and forth

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 19

8. #8

   NetsatCavaliers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.53 (pre-game Watchability 6) = 9

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.