Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RocketsatMavericks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   76/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 70) = 76

2. #2

   Knicksat76ers

   NBA· Prime VideoDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 61

3. #3

   MagicatRaptors

   NBADown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 59

4. #4

   NuggetsatSuns

   NBABack and forth

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 42

5. #5

   LakersatWarriors

   NBA· Prime VideoBig comeback

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 63) = 41

6. #6

   PacersatHeat

   NBABack and forth

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 47) = 28

7. #7

   HornetsatWizards

   NBA

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40) = 21

8. #8

   PistonsatNets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 13

9. #9

   ClippersatTimberwolves

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   3/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.72 (pre-game Watchability 45) = 3

10. #10

    BullsatCeltics

    NBAOne-sided

    D

    1/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings2/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 13) = 1

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.