Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RocketsatSuns

   NBADown to the wire

   B+

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 67) = 75

2. #2

   MagicatWarriors

   NBAOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 38) = 63

3. #3

   NetsatHawks

   NBADown to the wireBig comeback

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.61 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 50

4. #4

   KnicksatCavaliers

   NBA· NBA TV

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 89) = 25

5. #5

   NuggetsatPacers

   NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension10/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 52) = 13

6. #6

   SpursatTrail Blazers

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.92 (pre-game Watchability 84) = 10

7. #7

   WizardsatThunder

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 47) = 4

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.