About Should I Watch?
There are 1,230 games in the NBA regular season. Even the most dedicated NBA fan would have a hard time watching them all, or even the 82 games featuring their favorite team. And watching them all live? It’s impossible. Sometimes, you have to watch a game after it happens.
Sports captivate us through tension, the drama inherent in not knowing what happens next. When you watch a game after it happened, it can be impossible to avoid spoilers, thus removing all the tension. At the same time, by coming to it late, knowing the result helps you avoid wasting your time with bad games.
Should I Watch? tells you if a game was good without spoiling the result. You can use it as a general NBA fan looking for the best game, regardless of what team is playing. Or you can use it as the ultimate fan service, clueing you in on when you should watch your favorite team and when you should just read a recap.
Watchability Score
Should I Watch? evaluates every NBA game for watchability. We conceive of watchability as a function of competitiveness. Basically, close games are exciting and blowouts are boring.
But it’s about more than the final margin. Plenty of games are never close, but in garbage time the bench comes in and cuts the lead to 8, even if they never really threatened to win the game. So Should I Watch? looks at the whole flow of the game to determine whether a game was really competitive.
The watchability score measures how exciting a game was to watch, scored on a scale from 0 to 100 points. Higher scores indicate more competitive games worth your time.
Our algorithm analyzes completed games across multiple factors. Here's how the scoring works:
1. Final Margin (0-50 points)
Close games are more exciting. Games decided by 3 points or less get the full 50 points. Overtime games automatically get the full 50 points regardless of final margin.
2. Competitive Time (0-20 points)
Games where the score stays within 6 points create sustained tension. If the entire 48-minute game stays within 6 points, the full 20 points is awarded.
3. Lead Changes (0-20 points)
Back-and-forth games keep you engaged. 15+ lead changes earn the maximum 20 points.
4. Maximum Lead (0-10 points)
Games that never get out of hand are more watchable. If the largest lead is 6 points or less, you get the full 10 points. Leads of 20+ points get 0 points.
5. Overtime Bonus (+10 points)
Overtime games are inherently exciting and always receive a 10-point bonus. This bonus applies to any game that goes to overtime, regardless of how many overtime periods.
6. Comeback Bonus (+0-10 points)
Dramatic comebacks create unforgettable moments. Teams that overcome a 25+ point deficit to win earn the full 10-point bonus. Comebacks from 15-25 points down receive partial credit.
7. Final Minute Lead Change (+20 points)
Games with a lead change in the final minute of regulation or overtime receive a massive 20-point bonus on top of all other scoring factors.
Score Ranges
- 80+: Must-watch games
- 50-79: Watchable games
- 0-49: Less competitive games
Note: While the maximum possible score is 140 points (base score of 100 plus 40 potential bonus points), the watchability meter goes from 0-100.
Favorite Teams
When you’re watching your favorite team, the calculus is different. You want to see them beat up your rival by 30. That’s fun! On the opposite side of the coin, sitting down for 2-3 hours only to see your favorite team get blown out isn’t fun for anyone.
But you can’t just watch the games your team wins. Watching competitive games that your favorite team ultimately loses is a crucial, if painful, part of the fan experience.
With Should I Watch?, when you select your favorite teams, we provide personalized yes/no recommendations to help you decide if a game is worth your time. The recommendation is based on two factors: whether your team won and how competitive the game was.
YES
We recommend watching if:
- Your team won, regardless of the final score or watchability.
- Your team lost but the game was watchable (watchability score of 50+). These are exciting games where your team had a real chance.
NO
We recommend skipping if your team lost in a non-competitive game (watchability score below 50). These are typically blowouts or games where your team never had much of a chance. Save your time for better games.