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       50 15 7711 6993  0.042 31.307    1  0.667    1  0.659    1  0.666    1 0.5649   26  3.926    5  0.417    1  0.914
SPURS         46 18 7559 7140  0.076 32.038    2  0.557    2  0.563    2  0.517    2 0.5563   16  3.978    3  0.532    6  0.501
PISTONS       45 17 7241 6795  0.023 29.839    3  0.512    3  0.515    4  0.490    3 0.5534   23  3.942    7  0.323    3  0.658
KNICKS        42 23 7627 7193  0.047 32.049    4  0.353    4  0.352    3  0.516    4 0.5378   20  3.957    4  0.425    5  0.607
CELTICS       42 21 7216 6742 -0.017 29.426    5  0.346    5  0.346    5  0.474    5 0.5370   30  3.902   12  0.106    2  0.841
CAVALIERS     39 24 7505 7237  0.042 31.193    6  0.293    6  0.298    7  0.342    6 0.5307    7  4.013    2  0.541   11  0.143
ROCKETS       39 23 7100 6776  0.007 29.720    7  0.282    7  0.284    8  0.259    7 0.5289   29  3.904   21 -0.102    4  0.619
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.033 30.046    8  0.242    8  0.244   10  0.199    8 0.5251   12  3.993    9  0.292   14  0.107
NUGGETS       39 25 7691 7453 -0.002 30.854    9  0.236    9  0.237   11  0.165    9 0.5240    6  4.018    6  0.389   15 -0.059
LAKERS        38 25 7306 7265 -0.025 30.354   10  0.213   10  0.219   17  0.020   10 0.5226   11  3.994   11  0.119   16 -0.079
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          36 27 7062 7005  0.009 31.059   11  0.175   11  0.175   18  0.005   11 0.5177   27  3.913   24 -0.307    9  0.317
RAPTORS       35 27 7040 6946  0.010 30.519   12  0.155   12  0.155   13  0.079   12 0.5157   24  3.932   23 -0.138   10  0.296
MAGIC         34 28 7120 7067  0.027 31.001   13  0.133   13  0.134   16  0.043   13 0.5127   19  3.958   16 -0.043   13  0.129
HEAT          35 29 7688 7464  0.029 31.646   14  0.126   14  0.118    9  0.238   14 0.5116    2  4.039    1  0.574   18 -0.098
76ERS         34 29 7296 7313 -0.007 30.916   15  0.091   15  0.092   19 -0.077   15 0.5088   15  3.978   19 -0.059   17 -0.095
WARRIORS      32 31 7248 7176  0.035 31.625   16  0.048   16  0.045   14  0.076   17 0.5047   18  3.964   13  0.022   12  0.131
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.631   17  0.044   17  0.041   15  0.067   16 0.5049    5  4.018    8  0.293   19 -0.158
CLIPPERS      31 32 7093 7071  0.029 31.614   18  0.013   18  0.008   12  0.125   18 0.5002   25  3.928   22 -0.115    8  0.365
HORNETS       32 32 7434 7202 -0.006 30.748   19 -0.004   20 -0.015    6  0.378   19 0.4984   21  3.957   10  0.285    7  0.471
TRAIL BLAZERS 30 34 7366 7558  0.057 33.297   20 -0.008   19 -0.013   20 -0.168   20 0.4980    9  4.003   15 -0.018   22 -0.317
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         27 35 6906 7163 -0.025 30.788   21 -0.150   21 -0.151   24 -0.320   21 0.4839   22  3.943   27 -0.480   20 -0.160
BULLS         26 37 7277 7543 -0.012 31.500   22 -0.192   22 -0.193   23 -0.296   22 0.4784    4  4.022   17 -0.049   26 -0.543
GRIZZLIES     23 39 7171 7305 -0.044 29.923   23 -0.332   23 -0.339   21 -0.193   23 0.4658   10  4.002   18 -0.050   24 -0.336
MAVERICKS     21 42 7138 7412 -0.044 30.888   24 -0.412   24 -0.412   25 -0.329   24 0.4571   17  3.976   25 -0.325   23 -0.334
PELICANS      20 45 7485 7813 -0.019 32.320   25 -0.457   25 -0.459   22 -0.258   25 0.4540    8  4.009   20 -0.077   25 -0.438
JAZZ          19 45 7513 8003 -0.027 32.146   26 -0.475   26 -0.471   26 -0.493   26 0.4507    1  4.069   14  0.005   30 -0.991
NETS          16 47 6732 7281 -0.001 32.426   27 -0.561   27 -0.561   28 -0.601   27 0.4435   28  3.907   30 -0.946   21 -0.256
PACERS        15 48 7019 7551 -0.040 31.608   28 -0.621   29 -0.625   27 -0.564   30 0.4361   13  3.984   28 -0.513   27 -0.614
WIZARDS       16 46 6956 7628 -0.077 30.465   29 -0.625   28 -0.619   30 -0.708   28 0.4386    3  4.024   26 -0.452   29 -0.964
KINGS         14 50 7064 7763 -0.001 33.175   30 -0.652   30 -0.647   29 -0.701   29 0.4366   14  3.984   29 -0.653   28 -0.749

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        38 25 7306 7265 -0.025 30.354   10  0.213   10  0.219   17  0.020   10 0.5226   11  3.994   11  0.119   16 -0.079
SUNS          36 27 7062 7005  0.009 31.059   11  0.175   11  0.175   18  0.005   11 0.5177   27  3.913   24 -0.307    9  0.317
WARRIORS      32 31 7248 7176  0.035 31.625   16  0.048   16  0.045   14  0.076   17 0.5047   18  3.964   13  0.022   12  0.131
CLIPPERS      31 32 7093 7071  0.029 31.614   18  0.013   18  0.008   12  0.125   18 0.5002   25  3.928   22 -0.115    8  0.365
KINGS         14 50 7064 7763 -0.001 33.175   30 -0.652   30 -0.647   29 -0.701   29 0.4366   14  3.984   29 -0.653   28 -0.749

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       50 15 7711 6993  0.042 31.307    1  0.667    1  0.659    1  0.666    1 0.5649   26  3.926    5  0.417    1  0.914
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.033 30.046    8  0.242    8  0.244   10  0.199    8 0.5251   12  3.993    9  0.292   14  0.107
NUGGETS       39 25 7691 7453 -0.002 30.854    9  0.236    9  0.237   11  0.165    9 0.5240    6  4.018    6  0.389   15 -0.059
TRAIL BLAZERS 30 34 7366 7558  0.057 33.297   20 -0.008   19 -0.013   20 -0.168   20 0.4980    9  4.003   15 -0.018   22 -0.317
JAZZ          19 45 7513 8003 -0.027 32.146   26 -0.475   26 -0.471   26 -0.493   26 0.4507    1  4.069   14  0.005   30 -0.991

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         46 18 7559 7140  0.076 32.038    2  0.557    2  0.563    2  0.517    2 0.5563   16  3.978    3  0.532    6  0.501
ROCKETS       39 23 7100 6776  0.007 29.720    7  0.282    7  0.284    8  0.259    7 0.5289   29  3.904   21 -0.102    4  0.619
GRIZZLIES     23 39 7171 7305 -0.044 29.923   23 -0.332   23 -0.339   21 -0.193   23 0.4658   10  4.002   18 -0.050   24 -0.336
MAVERICKS     21 42 7138 7412 -0.044 30.888   24 -0.412   24 -0.412   25 -0.329   24 0.4571   17  3.976   25 -0.325   23 -0.334
PELICANS      20 45 7485 7813 -0.019 32.320   25 -0.457   25 -0.459   22 -0.258   25 0.4540    8  4.009   20 -0.077   25 -0.438

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       45 17 7241 6795  0.023 29.839    3  0.512    3  0.515    4  0.490    3 0.5534   23  3.942    7  0.323    3  0.658
CAVALIERS     39 24 7505 7237  0.042 31.193    6  0.293    6  0.298    7  0.342    6 0.5307    7  4.013    2  0.541   11  0.143
BUCKS         27 35 6906 7163 -0.025 30.788   21 -0.150   21 -0.151   24 -0.320   21 0.4839   22  3.943   27 -0.480   20 -0.160
BULLS         26 37 7277 7543 -0.012 31.500   22 -0.192   22 -0.193   23 -0.296   22 0.4784    4  4.022   17 -0.049   26 -0.543
PACERS        15 48 7019 7551 -0.040 31.608   28 -0.621   29 -0.625   27 -0.564   30 0.4361   13  3.984   28 -0.513   27 -0.614

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         34 28 7120 7067  0.027 31.001   13  0.133   13  0.134   16  0.043   13 0.5127   19  3.958   16 -0.043   13  0.129
HEAT          35 29 7688 7464  0.029 31.646   14  0.126   14  0.118    9  0.238   14 0.5116    2  4.039    1  0.574   18 -0.098
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.631   17  0.044   17  0.041   15  0.067   16 0.5049    5  4.018    8  0.293   19 -0.158
HORNETS       32 32 7434 7202 -0.006 30.748   19 -0.004   20 -0.015    6  0.378   19 0.4984   21  3.957   10  0.285    7  0.471
WIZARDS       16 46 6956 7628 -0.077 30.465   29 -0.625   28 -0.619   30 -0.708   28 0.4386    3  4.024   26 -0.452   29 -0.964

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        42 23 7627 7193  0.047 32.049    4  0.353    4  0.352    3  0.516    4 0.5378   20  3.957    4  0.425    5  0.607
CELTICS       42 21 7216 6742 -0.017 29.426    5  0.346    5  0.346    5  0.474    5 0.5370   30  3.902   12  0.106    2  0.841
RAPTORS       35 27 7040 6946  0.010 30.519   12  0.155   12  0.155   13  0.079   12 0.5157   24  3.932   23 -0.138   10  0.296
76ERS         34 29 7296 7313 -0.007 30.916   15  0.091   15  0.092   19 -0.077   15 0.5088   15  3.978   19 -0.059   17 -0.095
NETS          16 47 6732 7281 -0.001 32.426   27 -0.561   27 -0.561   28 -0.601   27 0.4435   28  3.907   30 -0.946   21 -0.256

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 178 143 0.555    1  0.125
ATLANTIC DIVISION  169 147 0.535    2  0.104
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 149 167 0.472    3 -0.008
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 150 166 0.475    4 -0.024
CENTRAL DIVISION   152 161 0.486    5 -0.085
PACIFIC DIVISION   151 165 0.478    6 -0.096

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Mar  8 05:30:21 2026
games through: Sat Mar  7 2026

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