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       36  8 5342 4750  0.041 21.131    1  0.692    1  0.713    1  0.800    1 0.5763   25  3.940    1  0.587    1  1.013
PISTONS       31 10 4811 4513 -0.054 18.839    2  0.483    2  0.480    2  0.404    2 0.5547   24  3.942    8  0.199    2  0.609
SPURS         30 15 5291 5080  0.081 22.903    3  0.416    3  0.410    4  0.325    3 0.5455   17  3.970    6  0.265    6  0.386
NUGGETS       29 15 5341 5147 -0.037 20.740    4  0.298    4  0.287    9  0.117    6 0.5320    5  4.028    3  0.363   19 -0.129
ROCKETS       26 15 4795 4532  0.031 20.037    5  0.296    6  0.275    5  0.307    4 0.5346   28  3.928   16  0.034    3  0.579
SUNS          27 17 5046 4920  0.060 22.350    6  0.287    5  0.281    7  0.250    5 0.5326   26  3.940   17  0.034    5  0.465
LAKERS        26 16 4884 4892 -0.010 20.731    7  0.235    7  0.241   20 -0.056    7 0.5301   11  3.998   18  0.029   20 -0.141
CELTICS       26 16 4902 4619  0.002 20.236    8  0.230    8  0.225    3  0.395    8 0.5284   23  3.949    7  0.227    4  0.564
TIMBERWOLVES  27 17 5284 5060 -0.019 20.850    9  0.212    9  0.207    6  0.290    9 0.5253   12  3.995    4  0.362   10  0.218
KNICKS        26 18 5193 5053 -0.013 21.336   10  0.173   10  0.169   10  0.094   10 0.5185   10  4.000    9  0.188   15  0.001
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       26 19 5138 5065 -0.039 21.536   11  0.125   11  0.126   14  0.038   12 0.5111   27  3.933   22 -0.208    7  0.285
WARRIORS      25 20 5260 5128  0.015 22.206   12  0.121   12  0.119    8  0.211   11 0.5139   15  3.974   11  0.171    9  0.251
MAGIC         23 19 4876 4837  0.005 20.849   13  0.097   13  0.099   17 -0.008   14 0.5099   18  3.969   21 -0.074   12  0.059
HEAT          23 21 5260 5203  0.071 22.871   14  0.097   14  0.098   12  0.075   13 0.5101    2  4.043    2  0.396   23 -0.246
CAVALIERS     24 20 5264 5183  0.002 21.681   15  0.092   15  0.092   11  0.087   16 0.5085    3  4.031    5  0.346   21 -0.172
TRAIL BLAZERS 22 22 5115 5200  0.077 23.323   16  0.069   16  0.071   19 -0.041   15 0.5098    9  4.007   13  0.094   22 -0.175
76ERS         23 19 4895 4846 -0.038 20.133   17  0.067   17  0.068   15  0.035   17 0.5063   19  3.967   20 -0.043   11  0.112
CLIPPERS      19 24 4831 4892  0.049 22.283   18 -0.072   18 -0.078   16  0.008   19 0.4911   29  3.928   24 -0.266    8  0.282
HAWKS         20 25 5286 5355  0.033 23.043   19 -0.081   19 -0.087   21 -0.080   18 0.4923    7  4.022   12  0.129   24 -0.288
BULLS         21 22 5070 5161 -0.095 20.122   20 -0.092   20 -0.094   23 -0.180   21 0.4867    4  4.029   15  0.069   26 -0.429
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
GRIZZLIES     18 23 4719 4758  0.003 20.527   21 -0.126   21 -0.129   18 -0.019   20 0.4883   14  3.980   19 -0.029   16 -0.008
BUCKS         18 24 4721 4856 -0.041 20.584   22 -0.174   22 -0.176   24 -0.226   22 0.4799   21  3.951   27 -0.381   18 -0.071
MAVERICKS     18 26 5024 5130 -0.079 20.931   23 -0.239   23 -0.244   22 -0.153   23 0.4734   20  3.955   25 -0.291   17 -0.014
HORNETS       16 27 5006 5006 -0.034 20.814   24 -0.275   25 -0.282   13  0.063   25 0.4673   13  3.983   14  0.070   13  0.056
JAZZ          15 29 5250 5606  0.054 23.646   25 -0.278   24 -0.264   27 -0.418   24 0.4703    1  4.093   10  0.173   30 -1.010
KINGS         12 32 4873 5311  0.040 23.661   26 -0.429   26 -0.424   29 -0.526   26 0.4559   16  3.971   28 -0.583   27 -0.469
NETS          12 29 4467 4687 -0.053 19.997   27 -0.455   27 -0.453   25 -0.326   27 0.4443   30  3.916   30 -0.661   14  0.009
WIZARDS       10 32 4726 5190 -0.047 21.201   28 -0.580   28 -0.577   30 -0.618   29 0.4343    6  4.028   26 -0.377   29 -0.858
PELICANS      10 35 5171 5500 -0.001 23.074   29 -0.593   29 -0.599   26 -0.403   28 0.4355    8  4.017   23 -0.217   28 -0.590
PACERS        10 34 4843 5204 -0.032 22.375   30 -0.597   30 -0.601   28 -0.471   30 0.4328   22  3.951   29 -0.627   25 -0.315

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
SUNS          27 17 5046 4920  0.060 22.350    6  0.287    5  0.281    7  0.250    5 0.5326   26  3.940   17  0.034    5  0.465
LAKERS        26 16 4884 4892 -0.010 20.731    7  0.235    7  0.241   20 -0.056    7 0.5301   11  3.998   18  0.029   20 -0.141
WARRIORS      25 20 5260 5128  0.015 22.206   12  0.121   12  0.119    8  0.211   11 0.5139   15  3.974   11  0.171    9  0.251
CLIPPERS      19 24 4831 4892  0.049 22.283   18 -0.072   18 -0.078   16  0.008   19 0.4911   29  3.928   24 -0.266    8  0.282
KINGS         12 32 4873 5311  0.040 23.661   26 -0.429   26 -0.424   29 -0.526   26 0.4559   16  3.971   28 -0.583   27 -0.469

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       36  8 5342 4750  0.041 21.131    1  0.692    1  0.713    1  0.800    1 0.5763   25  3.940    1  0.587    1  1.013
NUGGETS       29 15 5341 5147 -0.037 20.740    4  0.298    4  0.287    9  0.117    6 0.5320    5  4.028    3  0.363   19 -0.129
TIMBERWOLVES  27 17 5284 5060 -0.019 20.850    9  0.212    9  0.207    6  0.290    9 0.5253   12  3.995    4  0.362   10  0.218
TRAIL BLAZERS 22 22 5115 5200  0.077 23.323   16  0.069   16  0.071   19 -0.041   15 0.5098    9  4.007   13  0.094   22 -0.175
JAZZ          15 29 5250 5606  0.054 23.646   25 -0.278   24 -0.264   27 -0.418   24 0.4703    1  4.093   10  0.173   30 -1.010

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         30 15 5291 5080  0.081 22.903    3  0.416    3  0.410    4  0.325    3 0.5455   17  3.970    6  0.265    6  0.386
ROCKETS       26 15 4795 4532  0.031 20.037    5  0.296    6  0.275    5  0.307    4 0.5346   28  3.928   16  0.034    3  0.579
GRIZZLIES     18 23 4719 4758  0.003 20.527   21 -0.126   21 -0.129   18 -0.019   20 0.4883   14  3.980   19 -0.029   16 -0.008
MAVERICKS     18 26 5024 5130 -0.079 20.931   23 -0.239   23 -0.244   22 -0.153   23 0.4734   20  3.955   25 -0.291   17 -0.014
PELICANS      10 35 5171 5500 -0.001 23.074   29 -0.593   29 -0.599   26 -0.403   28 0.4355    8  4.017   23 -0.217   28 -0.590

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       31 10 4811 4513 -0.054 18.839    2  0.483    2  0.480    2  0.404    2 0.5547   24  3.942    8  0.199    2  0.609
CAVALIERS     24 20 5264 5183  0.002 21.681   15  0.092   15  0.092   11  0.087   16 0.5085    3  4.031    5  0.346   21 -0.172
BULLS         21 22 5070 5161 -0.095 20.122   20 -0.092   20 -0.094   23 -0.180   21 0.4867    4  4.029   15  0.069   26 -0.429
BUCKS         18 24 4721 4856 -0.041 20.584   22 -0.174   22 -0.176   24 -0.226   22 0.4799   21  3.951   27 -0.381   18 -0.071
PACERS        10 34 4843 5204 -0.032 22.375   30 -0.597   30 -0.601   28 -0.471   30 0.4328   22  3.951   29 -0.627   25 -0.315

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         23 19 4876 4837  0.005 20.849   13  0.097   13  0.099   17 -0.008   14 0.5099   18  3.969   21 -0.074   12  0.059
HEAT          23 21 5260 5203  0.071 22.871   14  0.097   14  0.098   12  0.075   13 0.5101    2  4.043    2  0.396   23 -0.246
HAWKS         20 25 5286 5355  0.033 23.043   19 -0.081   19 -0.087   21 -0.080   18 0.4923    7  4.022   12  0.129   24 -0.288
HORNETS       16 27 5006 5006 -0.034 20.814   24 -0.275   25 -0.282   13  0.063   25 0.4673   13  3.983   14  0.070   13  0.056
WIZARDS       10 32 4726 5190 -0.047 21.201   28 -0.580   28 -0.577   30 -0.618   29 0.4343    6  4.028   26 -0.377   29 -0.858

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
CELTICS       26 16 4902 4619  0.002 20.236    8  0.230    8  0.225    3  0.395    8 0.5284   23  3.949    7  0.227    4  0.564
KNICKS        26 18 5193 5053 -0.013 21.336   10  0.173   10  0.169   10  0.094   10 0.5185   10  4.000    9  0.188   15  0.001
RAPTORS       26 19 5138 5065 -0.039 21.536   11  0.125   11  0.126   14  0.038   12 0.5111   27  3.933   22 -0.208    7  0.285
76ERS         23 19 4895 4846 -0.038 20.133   17  0.067   17  0.068   15  0.035   17 0.5063   19  3.967   20 -0.043   11  0.112
NETS          12 29 4467 4687 -0.053 19.997   27 -0.455   27 -0.453   25 -0.326   27 0.4443   30  3.916   30 -0.661   14  0.009

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 129  91 0.586    1  0.203
ATLANTIC DIVISION  113 101 0.528    2  0.074
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 102 114 0.472    3  0.012
PACIFIC DIVISION   109 109 0.500    4 -0.041
CENTRAL DIVISION   104 110 0.486    5 -0.111
SOUTHEAST DIVISION  92 124 0.426    6 -0.130

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Wed Jan 21 05:30:11 2026
games through: Tue Jan 20 2026

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