Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CelticsatMagic

   NBA

   C

   41/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 70) = 41

2. #2

   NetsatPacers

   NBA

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 22) = 23

3. #3

   ClippersatWarriors

   NBA

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 20

4. #4

   RaptorsatLakers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension9/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 82) = 20

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.