Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TimberwolvesatPelicans

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 68) = 63

2. #2

   Trail BlazersatLakers

   NBA· Prime VideoBig comeback

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 81) = 53

3. #3

   RaptorsatBucks

   NBABig comeback

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 51

4. #4

   WizardsatHawks

   NBADown to the wire

   C

   39/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late13/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 39

5. #5

   JazzatMavericks

   NBABack and forth

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 17) = 21

6. #6

   76ersatCavaliers

   NBA· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 19

7. #7

   ThunderatGrizzlies

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.86 (pre-game Watchability 71) = 11

8. #8

   CelticsatHornets

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 32) = 2

9. #9

   SpursatKings

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   1/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 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.