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       73 19 10967  9918  0.075 45.814    1  0.840    1  0.807    1  0.803    1 0.5739   24  3.936    2  0.605    1  1.001
SPURS         71 25 11460 10633  0.089 48.570    2  0.699    2  0.664    2  0.757    2 0.5616   14  3.975    1  0.762    5  0.751
PISTONS       67 29 11126 10434  0.024 46.859    3  0.512    3  0.485    4  0.490    3 0.5474   27  3.921    9  0.218    4  0.761
KNICKS        64 31 11101 10350  0.034 46.630    4  0.464    4  0.433    3  0.669    4 0.5417   25  3.935    5  0.466    2  0.871
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.012 43.008    5  0.406    5  0.382    5  0.474    5 0.5379   29  3.899   12  0.094    3  0.855
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.022 43.479    7  0.355    7  0.337    7  0.291    6 0.5327    5  4.023    3  0.547   15  0.035
LAKERS        57 35 10562 10467  0.048 47.228    6  0.355    6  0.345   11  0.152    7 0.5317   17  3.971   11  0.134   11  0.169
CAVALIERS     60 38 11543 11210  0.058 50.034    8  0.337    8  0.322    8  0.270    8 0.5297   10  3.996    6  0.382   12  0.159
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628  0.003 42.802    9  0.287    9  0.265    9  0.244    9 0.5265   30  3.899   21 -0.139    6  0.627
TIMBERWOLVES  55 39 10975 10770  0.050 47.988   10  0.264   10  0.243   12  0.125   10 0.5235   13  3.979   10  0.150   14  0.100
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.025 44.639   12  0.158   13  0.134   10  0.211   11 0.5127   23  3.937   13  0.019    8  0.403
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.035 44.763   11  0.159   11  0.140   13  0.107   12 0.5121    8  4.009    7  0.289   18 -0.074
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.046 46.888   13  0.155   12  0.135   17  0.049   13 0.5120   19  3.956   17 -0.048   13  0.146
76ERS         50 44 10745 10857  0.035 48.557   14  0.141   14  0.127   19 -0.080   14 0.5100   16  3.972   20 -0.091   17 -0.069
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.045 45.166   15  0.112   15  0.097   16  0.051   15 0.5089   26  3.923   23 -0.213    9  0.315
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364 -0.002 40.766   16  0.087   16  0.067    6  0.389   16 0.5058   21  3.946    8  0.244    7  0.534
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.011 41.252   17  0.057   17  0.042   14  0.084   17 0.5033    2  4.061    4  0.540   20 -0.373
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.017 44.781   18  0.036   18  0.024   18  0.002   18 0.5017   15  3.974   14 -0.001   16  0.005
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.027 40.392   19  0.004   19 -0.018   15  0.084   19 0.4983   22  3.942   19 -0.081   10  0.248
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676 -0.002 42.087   20 -0.093   20 -0.112   20 -0.160   20 0.4888   18  3.967   22 -0.199   19 -0.121
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.066 40.707   21 -0.282   21 -0.298   25 -0.550   21 0.4704   20  3.953   29 -0.660   22 -0.441
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.053 40.757   22 -0.301   22 -0.322   22 -0.423   22 0.4678    3  4.043   18 -0.061   27 -0.785
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.039 40.920   23 -0.460   24 -0.485   21 -0.248   23 0.4547    7  4.017   16 -0.028   23 -0.468
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.053 40.821   24 -0.463   23 -0.483   23 -0.427   24 0.4537   11  3.995   24 -0.318   24 -0.536
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.054 40.842   25 -0.501   25 -0.526   27 -0.585   25 0.4507    6  4.021   25 -0.344   28 -0.827
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.060 41.237   26 -0.586   26 -0.609   26 -0.584   26 0.4429    1  4.081   15 -0.018   29 -1.149
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.067 41.310   27 -0.596   27 -0.613   28 -0.666   27 0.4427   12  3.990   28 -0.587   26 -0.745
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.080 41.137   28 -0.674   28 -0.694   29 -0.805   28 0.4360   28  3.901   30 -1.175   21 -0.434
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.057 41.305   29 -0.677   29 -0.705   24 -0.501   29 0.4339    9  4.001   26 -0.365   25 -0.637
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.089 41.179   30 -0.792   30 -0.821   30 -0.824   30 0.4269    4  4.040   27 -0.478   30 -1.169

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        57 35 10562 10467  0.048 47.228    6  0.355    6  0.345   11  0.152    7 0.5317   17  3.971   11  0.134   11  0.169
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.045 45.166   15  0.112   15  0.097   16  0.051   15 0.5089   26  3.923   23 -0.213    9  0.315
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.027 40.392   19  0.004   19 -0.018   15  0.084   19 0.4983   22  3.942   19 -0.081   10  0.248
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676 -0.002 42.087   20 -0.093   20 -0.112   20 -0.160   20 0.4888   18  3.967   22 -0.199   19 -0.121
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.067 41.310   27 -0.596   27 -0.613   28 -0.666   27 0.4427   12  3.990   28 -0.587   26 -0.745

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       73 19 10967  9918  0.075 45.814    1  0.840    1  0.807    1  0.803    1 0.5739   24  3.936    2  0.605    1  1.001
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.022 43.479    7  0.355    7  0.337    7  0.291    6 0.5327    5  4.023    3  0.547   15  0.035
TIMBERWOLVES  55 39 10975 10770  0.050 47.988   10  0.264   10  0.243   12  0.125   10 0.5235   13  3.979   10  0.150   14  0.100
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.017 44.781   18  0.036   18  0.024   18  0.002   18 0.5017   15  3.974   14 -0.001   16  0.005
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.060 41.237   26 -0.586   26 -0.609   26 -0.584   26 0.4429    1  4.081   15 -0.018   29 -1.149

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         71 25 11460 10633  0.089 48.570    2  0.699    2  0.664    2  0.757    2 0.5616   14  3.975    1  0.762    5  0.751
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628  0.003 42.802    9  0.287    9  0.265    9  0.244    9 0.5265   30  3.899   21 -0.139    6  0.627
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.039 40.920   23 -0.460   24 -0.485   21 -0.248   23 0.4547    7  4.017   16 -0.028   23 -0.468
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.053 40.821   24 -0.463   23 -0.483   23 -0.427   24 0.4537   11  3.995   24 -0.318   24 -0.536
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.054 40.842   25 -0.501   25 -0.526   27 -0.585   25 0.4507    6  4.021   25 -0.344   28 -0.827

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       67 29 11126 10434  0.024 46.859    3  0.512    3  0.485    4  0.490    3 0.5474   27  3.921    9  0.218    4  0.761
CAVALIERS     60 38 11543 11210  0.058 50.034    8  0.337    8  0.322    8  0.270    8 0.5297   10  3.996    6  0.382   12  0.159
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.066 40.707   21 -0.282   21 -0.298   25 -0.550   21 0.4704   20  3.953   29 -0.660   22 -0.441
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.053 40.757   22 -0.301   22 -0.322   22 -0.423   22 0.4678    3  4.043   18 -0.061   27 -0.785
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.057 41.305   29 -0.677   29 -0.705   24 -0.501   29 0.4339    9  4.001   26 -0.365   25 -0.637

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
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.035 44.763   11  0.159   11  0.140   13  0.107   12 0.5121    8  4.009    7  0.289   18 -0.074
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.046 46.888   13  0.155   12  0.135   17  0.049   13 0.5120   19  3.956   17 -0.048   13  0.146
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364 -0.002 40.766   16  0.087   16  0.067    6  0.389   16 0.5058   21  3.946    8  0.244    7  0.534
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.011 41.252   17  0.057   17  0.042   14  0.084   17 0.5033    2  4.061    4  0.540   20 -0.373
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.089 41.179   30 -0.792   30 -0.821   30 -0.824   30 0.4269    4  4.040   27 -0.478   30 -1.169

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        64 31 11101 10350  0.034 46.630    4  0.464    4  0.433    3  0.669    4 0.5417   25  3.935    5  0.466    2  0.871
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.012 43.008    5  0.406    5  0.382    5  0.474    5 0.5379   29  3.899   12  0.094    3  0.855
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.025 44.639   12  0.158   13  0.134   10  0.211   11 0.5127   23  3.937   13  0.019    8  0.403
76ERS         50 44 10745 10857  0.035 48.557   14  0.141   14  0.127   19 -0.080   14 0.5100   16  3.972   20 -0.091   17 -0.069
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.080 41.137   28 -0.674   28 -0.694   29 -0.805   28 0.4360   28  3.901   30 -1.175   21 -0.434

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 250 194 0.563    1  0.148
ATLANTIC DIVISION  242 207 0.539    2  0.105
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 202 226 0.472    3 -0.040
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 202 228 0.470    4 -0.058
PACIFIC DIVISION   205 224 0.478    5 -0.106
CENTRAL DIVISION   209 231 0.475    6 -0.150

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri May 22 05:30:13 2026
games through: Thu May 21 2026

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