Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LakersatJazz

   NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   81/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 81

2. #2

   MagicatKnicks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 69) = 71

3. #3

   ClippersatThunder

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 43

4. #4

   GrizzliesatKings

   NBADown to the wire

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 8) = 35

5. #5

   Pistonsat76ers

   NBA

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 96) = 31

6. #6

   PacersatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 13

7. #7

   RaptorsatTimberwolves

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 3

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.