Dolphin Ratings - National Basketball Association

Explanation: Each team is listed with its record, overall score differential, and its ratings. Brief explanations of the ratings follow.

Schedule The number in this column is the effective opponent strength of a team. In other words, they would be expected to have the same record had they played all games against an opponent of this predictive rating at a neutral site. Because this calculation depends on the strength of the team in question, it is not possible to rank schedules using these values.
Expected Losses For college teams, this number is the number of losses an average ranked (top 15 hockey; otherwise top 25) team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. For pro teams, this is the number of losses an average team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. Unlike the schedule ranking, this value can be used to rank schedules.
Standard Ranks teams in an order such that a team is "probably better" than all teams ranked lower than it. This calculation uses margin of victory only for computing a team's opponents strengths; the team's rating itself is computed using only wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule
Median Likelihood Determines the likely ratings for each team, based on its wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule. This generally produces the same or similar ratings as the standard ranking.
Predictive Both schedule strength and rating vs. schedule strength are determined considering both the wins and losses and the score differentials. This rating contains none of the biases in the standard rating, but does weight recent games slightly more than past games since those are a better indication of the team's current strength. This rating is the best of the first three for seeing how good teams are, and thus is the best for predicting future results.
Improved RPI Rating The improved RPI formula is similar to the standard RPI, except that the schedule strength is carried out to infinite depth instead of ending with opponents' opponents, thus allows for a better comparison of isolated groups of teams than is given by the standard RPI calculation. It is similar to the simple rating, except that all games are given equal weight.
Scoring. This value indicates how many points a team would be expected to score if it played an identical team.
Offense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team scores. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to score the league average number of points. This does not necessarily rate a team's offensive abilities, as a fast pace in basketball or big-play defense in football can make a team score more points.
Defense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team allows. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to allow the league average number of points. The same caveat in the predictive-offense rating applies here.

In order to increase early-season stability, the three main rankings, the improved RPI, and the college pseudopoll include priors based on the previous season final predictive ratings and occasionally incorporating preseason predictions of various major publications. The other rankings for college sports do not include priors, and thus can be wildly unstable early in the year. A team whose rankings are affected by this prior is noted with a P following its rankings.

Full Ranking

                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
THUNDER       25  3 3429 2978 -0.048 12.363    1  0.791    1  0.805    1  0.880    1 0.5835   30  3.932    2  0.615    1  1.144
PISTONS       22  6 3329 3140 -0.069 12.775    2  0.537    2  0.533    7  0.328    2 0.5593   20  3.969    8  0.249    5  0.407
SPURS         20  8 3351 3195  0.076 14.302    3  0.495    3  0.492    6  0.373    3 0.5562   12  3.995    4  0.433    8  0.314
NUGGETS       20  7 3367 3136  0.018 12.979    4  0.467    4  0.461    3  0.455    4 0.5505    2  4.054    1  0.827   12  0.084
ROCKETS       17  8 3022 2791  0.139 12.885    5  0.434    5  0.415    2  0.560    6 0.5486   22  3.953    5  0.403    2  0.717
LAKERS        19  8 3187 3155 -0.012 13.377    6  0.425    6  0.405   13  0.029    5 0.5504    8  4.010   12  0.163   19 -0.105
KNICKS        20  8 3370 3148 -0.024 13.198    7  0.425    7  0.404    4  0.433    7 0.5428   11  3.996    3  0.494    6  0.373
TIMBERWOLVES  18 10 3337 3200 -0.042 13.097    8  0.267    8  0.249    9  0.238   10 0.5283   13  3.986    9  0.247   10  0.229
CELTICS       17 11 3261 3094  0.067 14.261    9  0.257   10  0.236    5  0.387    8 0.5304   24  3.949   10  0.207    3  0.568
MAGIC         16 12 3308 3219  0.153 15.340   10  0.254    9  0.246    8  0.304    9 0.5284   14  3.977    7  0.270    7  0.337
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
76ERS         16 11 3158 3117 -0.080 12.659   11  0.125   11  0.131   14  0.018   12 0.5143   16  3.973   16 -0.038   13  0.074
SUNS          15 13 3199 3194  0.081 14.828   12  0.123   12  0.131   12  0.080   11 0.5154   21  3.955   18 -0.069    9  0.230
RAPTORS       17 12 3323 3274 -0.079 13.610   13  0.105   13  0.111   15 -0.006   13 0.5109   23  3.951   21 -0.177   11  0.164
HEAT          15 13 3361 3285  0.060 14.469   14  0.096   14  0.101   11  0.148   14 0.5107    6  4.032    6  0.399   18 -0.103
WARRIORS      14 15 3305 3271  0.092 15.372   15  0.017   15  0.025   10  0.157   16 0.5035   28  3.933   20 -0.102    4  0.417
HAWKS         15 14 3410 3430 -0.030 14.326   16  0.004   16  0.011   18 -0.098   15 0.5060    9  4.009   15  0.034   22 -0.229
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 16 3305 3395  0.114 15.506   17 -0.054   17 -0.044   19 -0.111   17 0.4961    3  4.039   11  0.181   25 -0.403
CAVALIERS     15 14 3441 3392 -0.112 13.248   18 -0.061   18 -0.053   17 -0.048   18 0.4929   10  4.007   14  0.074   20 -0.170
GRIZZLIES     13 15 3211 3240 -0.011 14.075   19 -0.102   19 -0.090   16 -0.031   19 0.4891   17  3.973   19 -0.087   16  0.026
BULLS         12 15 3194 3295 -0.102 12.941   20 -0.178   20 -0.166   24 -0.319   20 0.4787    5  4.034   17 -0.053   28 -0.584
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JAZZ          10 17 3237 3424 -0.000 14.241   21 -0.242   21 -0.228   27 -0.361   21 0.4747    1  4.080   13  0.148   29 -0.870
MAVERICKS     11 18 3278 3389 -0.038 14.677   22 -0.270   22 -0.261   20 -0.191   22 0.4696   26  3.939   25 -0.420   15  0.038
BUCKS         11 17 3180 3288 -0.110 13.329   23 -0.291   23 -0.283   26 -0.342   23 0.4678   15  3.974   24 -0.395   23 -0.289
HORNETS        9 19 3205 3317 -0.073 13.685   24 -0.415   24 -0.414   22 -0.274   24 0.4538   18  3.972   23 -0.336   21 -0.212
CLIPPERS       7 21 3098 3248  0.096 15.497   25 -0.441   25 -0.445   21 -0.201   25 0.4514   27  3.933   27 -0.460   14  0.059
KINGS          6 22 3108 3414  0.122 16.330   26 -0.464   26 -0.468   28 -0.493   26 0.4512   19  3.970   28 -0.563   26 -0.424
NETS           7 19 2850 3003 -0.076 12.839   27 -0.498   28 -0.507   23 -0.314   28 0.4406   29  3.933   29 -0.574   17 -0.054
PELICANS       7 22 3344 3553  0.030 15.549   28 -0.500   27 -0.504   25 -0.326   27 0.4440    7  4.012   22 -0.179   27 -0.474
WIZARDS        5 21 2930 3282 -0.081 13.467   29 -0.646   29 -0.659   30 -0.742   29 0.4270    4  4.038   26 -0.455   30 -1.029
PACERS         6 22 3086 3317 -0.144 13.515   30 -0.662   30 -0.694   29 -0.545   30 0.4247   25  3.945   30 -0.747   24 -0.343

PACIFIC DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        19  8 3187 3155 -0.012 13.377    6  0.425    6  0.405   13  0.029    5 0.5504    8  4.010   12  0.163   19 -0.105
SUNS          15 13 3199 3194  0.081 14.828   12  0.123   12  0.131   12  0.080   11 0.5154   21  3.955   18 -0.069    9  0.230
WARRIORS      14 15 3305 3271  0.092 15.372   15  0.017   15  0.025   10  0.157   16 0.5035   28  3.933   20 -0.102    4  0.417
CLIPPERS       7 21 3098 3248  0.096 15.497   25 -0.441   25 -0.445   21 -0.201   25 0.4514   27  3.933   27 -0.460   14  0.059
KINGS          6 22 3108 3414  0.122 16.330   26 -0.464   26 -0.468   28 -0.493   26 0.4512   19  3.970   28 -0.563   26 -0.424

NORTHWEST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
THUNDER       25  3 3429 2978 -0.048 12.363    1  0.791    1  0.805    1  0.880    1 0.5835   30  3.932    2  0.615    1  1.144
NUGGETS       20  7 3367 3136  0.018 12.979    4  0.467    4  0.461    3  0.455    4 0.5505    2  4.054    1  0.827   12  0.084
TIMBERWOLVES  18 10 3337 3200 -0.042 13.097    8  0.267    8  0.249    9  0.238   10 0.5283   13  3.986    9  0.247   10  0.229
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 16 3305 3395  0.114 15.506   17 -0.054   17 -0.044   19 -0.111   17 0.4961    3  4.039   11  0.181   25 -0.403
JAZZ          10 17 3237 3424 -0.000 14.241   21 -0.242   21 -0.228   27 -0.361   21 0.4747    1  4.080   13  0.148   29 -0.870

SOUTHWEST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SPURS         20  8 3351 3195  0.076 14.302    3  0.495    3  0.492    6  0.373    3 0.5562   12  3.995    4  0.433    8  0.314
ROCKETS       17  8 3022 2791  0.139 12.885    5  0.434    5  0.415    2  0.560    6 0.5486   22  3.953    5  0.403    2  0.717
GRIZZLIES     13 15 3211 3240 -0.011 14.075   19 -0.102   19 -0.090   16 -0.031   19 0.4891   17  3.973   19 -0.087   16  0.026
MAVERICKS     11 18 3278 3389 -0.038 14.677   22 -0.270   22 -0.261   20 -0.191   22 0.4696   26  3.939   25 -0.420   15  0.038
PELICANS       7 22 3344 3553  0.030 15.549   28 -0.500   27 -0.504   25 -0.326   27 0.4440    7  4.012   22 -0.179   27 -0.474

CENTRAL DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PISTONS       22  6 3329 3140 -0.069 12.775    2  0.537    2  0.533    7  0.328    2 0.5593   20  3.969    8  0.249    5  0.407
CAVALIERS     15 14 3441 3392 -0.112 13.248   18 -0.061   18 -0.053   17 -0.048   18 0.4929   10  4.007   14  0.074   20 -0.170
BULLS         12 15 3194 3295 -0.102 12.941   20 -0.178   20 -0.166   24 -0.319   20 0.4787    5  4.034   17 -0.053   28 -0.584
BUCKS         11 17 3180 3288 -0.110 13.329   23 -0.291   23 -0.283   26 -0.342   23 0.4678   15  3.974   24 -0.395   23 -0.289
PACERS         6 22 3086 3317 -0.144 13.515   30 -0.662   30 -0.694   29 -0.545   30 0.4247   25  3.945   30 -0.747   24 -0.343

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAGIC         16 12 3308 3219  0.153 15.340   10  0.254    9  0.246    8  0.304    9 0.5284   14  3.977    7  0.270    7  0.337
HEAT          15 13 3361 3285  0.060 14.469   14  0.096   14  0.101   11  0.148   14 0.5107    6  4.032    6  0.399   18 -0.103
HAWKS         15 14 3410 3430 -0.030 14.326   16  0.004   16  0.011   18 -0.098   15 0.5060    9  4.009   15  0.034   22 -0.229
HORNETS        9 19 3205 3317 -0.073 13.685   24 -0.415   24 -0.414   22 -0.274   24 0.4538   18  3.972   23 -0.336   21 -0.212
WIZARDS        5 21 2930 3282 -0.081 13.467   29 -0.646   29 -0.659   30 -0.742   29 0.4270    4  4.038   26 -0.455   30 -1.029

ATLANTIC DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KNICKS        20  8 3370 3148 -0.024 13.198    7  0.425    7  0.404    4  0.433    7 0.5428   11  3.996    3  0.494    6  0.373
CELTICS       17 11 3261 3094  0.067 14.261    9  0.257   10  0.236    5  0.387    8 0.5304   24  3.949   10  0.207    3  0.568
76ERS         16 11 3158 3117 -0.080 12.659   11  0.125   11  0.131   14  0.018   12 0.5143   16  3.973   16 -0.038   13  0.074
RAPTORS       17 12 3323 3274 -0.079 13.610   13  0.105   13  0.111   15 -0.006   13 0.5109   23  3.951   21 -0.177   11  0.164
NETS           7 19 2850 3003 -0.076 12.839   27 -0.498   28 -0.507   23 -0.314   28 0.4406   29  3.933   29 -0.574   17 -0.054

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 85 53 0.616    1  0.279
ATLANTIC DIVISION  77 61 0.558    2  0.119
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 68 71 0.489    3  0.070
PACIFIC DIVISION   61 79 0.436    4 -0.102
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 60 79 0.432    5 -0.147
CENTRAL DIVISION   66 74 0.471    6 -0.215

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.164 points in main ratings (0.186 for semineutral)
     0.018 points in improved RPI (0.019 for semineutral)
Average of 2.15 points per score

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Dec 21 05:32:27 2025
games through: Sat Dec 20 2025

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