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       47 15 7388 6688  0.035 29.725    1  0.610    1  0.616    1  0.673    1 0.5616   25  3.932    3  0.448    1  0.898
PISTONS       45 14 6921 6454  0.013 28.170    2  0.588    2  0.596    2  0.559    2 0.5613   23  3.943    6  0.391    3  0.728
SPURS         43 18 7191 6831  0.069 30.494    3  0.514    3  0.520    4  0.435    3 0.5522   17  3.977    4  0.440    6  0.430
CELTICS       40 20 6899 6443 -0.006 28.265    4  0.351    4  0.350    3  0.490    4 0.5383   28  3.908   11  0.146    2  0.834
KNICKS        40 22 7274 6892  0.022 30.129    5  0.328    5  0.328    5  0.429    5 0.5358   19  3.959    8  0.345    5  0.514
ROCKETS       37 22 6758 6444  0.024 28.664    6  0.290    6  0.291    8  0.281    6 0.5295   30  3.906   19 -0.074    4  0.637
CAVALIERS     38 24 7392 7128  0.034 30.560    7  0.272    7  0.275    6  0.334    7 0.5286    7  4.013    1  0.529   12  0.139
TIMBERWOLVES  38 23 7267 6989 -0.026 28.727    8  0.238    8  0.239    9  0.250    8 0.5248   11  3.996    7  0.356   11  0.144
LAKERS        36 24 6955 6927 -0.014 29.216   10  0.215   10  0.217   17  0.017    9 0.5233   12  3.995   12  0.117   17 -0.083
NUGGETS       37 24 7340 7073  0.008 29.523    9  0.233    9  0.232   10  0.238   10 0.5233    5  4.015    5  0.440   15  0.035
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       35 25 6838 6720 -0.004 29.190   11  0.185   11  0.184   12  0.110   11 0.5189   24  3.934   21 -0.102   10  0.321
SUNS          34 26 6727 6681  0.033 30.191   12  0.185   12  0.183   16  0.022   12 0.5186   27  3.915   25 -0.286    9  0.329
76ERS         33 27 6983 6955 -0.004 29.424   13  0.114   13  0.113   18  0.004   13 0.5113   13  3.982   14  0.037   16 -0.030
MAGIC         31 28 6760 6752  0.035 29.847   14  0.091   14  0.089   19 -0.021   14 0.5085   20  3.959   22 -0.106   14  0.064
HEAT          32 29 7310 7136  0.040 30.568   15  0.088   15  0.077   11  0.189   15 0.5080    2  4.036    2  0.505   18 -0.126
WARRIORS      31 29 6935 6845  0.016 29.720   16  0.057   16  0.048   13  0.085   16 0.5051   18  3.969   13  0.052   13  0.118
HAWKS         31 31 7278 7277  0.010 30.809   17  0.019   17  0.009   15  0.028   17 0.5013    6  4.015    9  0.231   20 -0.174
TRAIL BLAZERS 29 33 7145 7338  0.052 32.230   18 -0.012   18 -0.018   21 -0.186   18 0.4976    9  4.005   16 -0.036   24 -0.337
CLIPPERS      28 31 6614 6627  0.031 29.789   19 -0.014   19 -0.027   14  0.074   19 0.4966   26  3.923   23 -0.196    8  0.343
HORNETS       30 31 7079 6895 -0.017 29.220   20 -0.022   20 -0.040    7  0.304   20 0.4963   21  3.959   10  0.215    7  0.392
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         26 33 6599 6825 -0.014 29.483   21 -0.138   21 -0.132   23 -0.275   21 0.4862   22  3.948   26 -0.415   19 -0.135
BULLS         25 36 7064 7324 -0.030 30.137   22 -0.220   22 -0.213   25 -0.325   22 0.4762    3  4.025   18 -0.070   27 -0.581
GRIZZLIES     23 36 6827 6943 -0.045 28.481   23 -0.297   23 -0.293   20 -0.174   23 0.4701   10  4.000   17 -0.047   23 -0.300
MAVERICKS     21 39 6834 7060 -0.057 29.049   24 -0.389   24 -0.381   24 -0.286   24 0.4600   16  3.978   24 -0.276   22 -0.296
PELICANS      19 43 7135 7462 -0.014 31.032   25 -0.458   26 -0.451   22 -0.264   25 0.4534    8  4.008   20 -0.097   25 -0.431
JAZZ          18 42 7065 7544 -0.019 30.436   26 -0.462   25 -0.448   26 -0.506   26 0.4517    1  4.077   15  0.028   30 -1.041
WIZARDS       16 43 6617 7257 -0.074 29.102   27 -0.580   27 -0.574   30 -0.699   27 0.4420    4  4.023   27 -0.453   29 -0.944
NETS          15 45 6417 6926 -0.020 30.456   28 -0.582   28 -0.585   28 -0.607   28 0.4410   29  3.906   30 -0.960   21 -0.255
KINGS         14 48 6838 7516  0.015 32.604   30 -0.607   30 -0.610   29 -0.682   29 0.4398   14  3.981   29 -0.656   28 -0.707
PACERS        15 46 6795 7293 -0.043 30.595   29 -0.598   29 -0.604   27 -0.537   30 0.4377   15  3.980   28 -0.516   26 -0.557

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        36 24 6955 6927 -0.014 29.216   10  0.215   10  0.217   17  0.017    9 0.5233   12  3.995   12  0.117   17 -0.083
SUNS          34 26 6727 6681  0.033 30.191   12  0.185   12  0.183   16  0.022   12 0.5186   27  3.915   25 -0.286    9  0.329
WARRIORS      31 29 6935 6845  0.016 29.720   16  0.057   16  0.048   13  0.085   16 0.5051   18  3.969   13  0.052   13  0.118
CLIPPERS      28 31 6614 6627  0.031 29.789   19 -0.014   19 -0.027   14  0.074   19 0.4966   26  3.923   23 -0.196    8  0.343
KINGS         14 48 6838 7516  0.015 32.604   30 -0.607   30 -0.610   29 -0.682   29 0.4398   14  3.981   29 -0.656   28 -0.707

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       47 15 7388 6688  0.035 29.725    1  0.610    1  0.616    1  0.673    1 0.5616   25  3.932    3  0.448    1  0.898
TIMBERWOLVES  38 23 7267 6989 -0.026 28.727    8  0.238    8  0.239    9  0.250    8 0.5248   11  3.996    7  0.356   11  0.144
NUGGETS       37 24 7340 7073  0.008 29.523    9  0.233    9  0.232   10  0.238   10 0.5233    5  4.015    5  0.440   15  0.035
TRAIL BLAZERS 29 33 7145 7338  0.052 32.230   18 -0.012   18 -0.018   21 -0.186   18 0.4976    9  4.005   16 -0.036   24 -0.337
JAZZ          18 42 7065 7544 -0.019 30.436   26 -0.462   25 -0.448   26 -0.506   26 0.4517    1  4.077   15  0.028   30 -1.041

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         43 18 7191 6831  0.069 30.494    3  0.514    3  0.520    4  0.435    3 0.5522   17  3.977    4  0.440    6  0.430
ROCKETS       37 22 6758 6444  0.024 28.664    6  0.290    6  0.291    8  0.281    6 0.5295   30  3.906   19 -0.074    4  0.637
GRIZZLIES     23 36 6827 6943 -0.045 28.481   23 -0.297   23 -0.293   20 -0.174   23 0.4701   10  4.000   17 -0.047   23 -0.300
MAVERICKS     21 39 6834 7060 -0.057 29.049   24 -0.389   24 -0.381   24 -0.286   24 0.4600   16  3.978   24 -0.276   22 -0.296
PELICANS      19 43 7135 7462 -0.014 31.032   25 -0.458   26 -0.451   22 -0.264   25 0.4534    8  4.008   20 -0.097   25 -0.431

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 14 6921 6454  0.013 28.170    2  0.588    2  0.596    2  0.559    2 0.5613   23  3.943    6  0.391    3  0.728
CAVALIERS     38 24 7392 7128  0.034 30.560    7  0.272    7  0.275    6  0.334    7 0.5286    7  4.013    1  0.529   12  0.139
BUCKS         26 33 6599 6825 -0.014 29.483   21 -0.138   21 -0.132   23 -0.275   21 0.4862   22  3.948   26 -0.415   19 -0.135
BULLS         25 36 7064 7324 -0.030 30.137   22 -0.220   22 -0.213   25 -0.325   22 0.4762    3  4.025   18 -0.070   27 -0.581
PACERS        15 46 6795 7293 -0.043 30.595   29 -0.598   29 -0.604   27 -0.537   30 0.4377   15  3.980   28 -0.516   26 -0.557

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         31 28 6760 6752  0.035 29.847   14  0.091   14  0.089   19 -0.021   14 0.5085   20  3.959   22 -0.106   14  0.064
HEAT          32 29 7310 7136  0.040 30.568   15  0.088   15  0.077   11  0.189   15 0.5080    2  4.036    2  0.505   18 -0.126
HAWKS         31 31 7278 7277  0.010 30.809   17  0.019   17  0.009   15  0.028   17 0.5013    6  4.015    9  0.231   20 -0.174
HORNETS       30 31 7079 6895 -0.017 29.220   20 -0.022   20 -0.040    7  0.304   20 0.4963   21  3.959   10  0.215    7  0.392
WIZARDS       16 43 6617 7257 -0.074 29.102   27 -0.580   27 -0.574   30 -0.699   27 0.4420    4  4.023   27 -0.453   29 -0.944

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       40 20 6899 6443 -0.006 28.265    4  0.351    4  0.350    3  0.490    4 0.5383   28  3.908   11  0.146    2  0.834
KNICKS        40 22 7274 6892  0.022 30.129    5  0.328    5  0.328    5  0.429    5 0.5358   19  3.959    8  0.345    5  0.514
RAPTORS       35 25 6838 6720 -0.004 29.190   11  0.185   11  0.184   12  0.110   11 0.5189   24  3.934   21 -0.102   10  0.321
76ERS         33 27 6983 6955 -0.004 29.424   13  0.114   13  0.113   18  0.004   13 0.5113   13  3.982   14  0.037   16 -0.030
NETS          15 45 6417 6926 -0.020 30.456   28 -0.582   28 -0.585   28 -0.607   28 0.4410   29  3.906   30 -0.960   21 -0.255

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 169 137 0.552    1  0.141
ATLANTIC DIVISION  163 139 0.540    2  0.110
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 143 158 0.475    3 -0.007
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 140 162 0.464    4 -0.057
CENTRAL DIVISION   149 153 0.493    5 -0.073
PACIFIC DIVISION   143 158 0.475    6 -0.097

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Mar  2 05:30:10 2026
games through: Sun Mar  1 2026

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