Worth the replay?

1. #1

   LakersatPistons

   NBA· NBA TVDown to the wire

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.94 (pre-game Watchability 88) = 66

2. #2

   76ersatBulls

   NBA

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 18) = 36

3. #3

   HeatatKings

   NBADown to the wire

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 2) = 32

4. #4

   PelicansatClippers

   NBA

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 21

5. #5

   JazzatTimberwolves

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.66 (pre-game Watchability 31) = 14

6. #6

   CelticsatBucks

   NBAOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 11) = 9

7. #7

   NetsatMavericks

   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 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 11) = 2

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.