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       64 18  9760  8846  0.074 40.006    1  0.756    1  0.758    1  0.745    1 0.5699   26  3.931    4  0.504    1  0.987
SPURS         62 21  9939  9269  0.077 40.989    2  0.663    2  0.669    2  0.665    2 0.5619   14  3.987    1  0.708    7  0.621
PISTONS       60 22  9657  8988  0.023 38.894    3  0.554    3  0.562    3  0.597    3 0.5541   23  3.943    7  0.414    3  0.779
CELTICS       56 26  9418  8787  0.040 39.558    4  0.458    4  0.457    4  0.576    4 0.5438   29  3.903   12  0.196    2  0.956
NUGGETS       54 28 10010  9588  0.031 39.852    5  0.395    5  0.397    7  0.387    5 0.5382    5  4.031    2  0.660   13  0.114
KNICKS        54 29  9673  9143  0.042 40.370    6  0.382    6  0.382    6  0.462    6 0.5362   22  3.943    9  0.283    6  0.641
LAKERS        53 29  9540  9396  0.011 40.102    7  0.365    7  0.374   13  0.176    7 0.5350   15  3.985   11  0.208   11  0.144
ROCKETS       52 30  9449  9021  0.017 39.390    8  0.327    9  0.327    8  0.324    8 0.5311   28  3.912   16 -0.014    5  0.661
CAVALIERS     52 30  9801  9463  0.010 39.533    9  0.324    8  0.327   10  0.260    9 0.5310    8  4.013    6  0.443   15  0.078
TIMBERWOLVES  49 33  9676  9401  0.007 39.595   10  0.231   10  0.228   12  0.185   10 0.5221   12  3.990   10  0.245   12  0.126
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HAWKS         46 36  9714  9516  0.023 40.269   11  0.164   11  0.160    9  0.269   11 0.5150    9  4.012    5  0.446   14  0.092
RAPTORS       46 36  9400  9168  0.021 40.150   12  0.161   12  0.155   11  0.245   12 0.5144   24  3.940   14  0.049    8  0.442
SUNS          45 37  9232  9112  0.036 40.911   13  0.154   13  0.150   15  0.113   13 0.5143   27  3.917   22 -0.198    9  0.424
MAGIC         45 37  9491  9439  0.023 40.755   14  0.140   14  0.138   18  0.026   14 0.5125   18  3.972   15 -0.009   16  0.061
76ERS         45 37  9502  9517 -0.005 40.163   15  0.124   15  0.125   19 -0.046   15 0.5111   17  3.978   17 -0.048   18 -0.044
HORNETS       44 38  9513  9117  0.017 39.484   16  0.095   16  0.084    5  0.491   16 0.5076   21  3.945    8  0.320    4  0.663
HEAT          43 39  9911  9720  0.026 40.437   17  0.075   17  0.073   16  0.105   17 0.5064    2  4.058    3  0.526   20 -0.315
TRAIL BLAZERS 42 40  9469  9493  0.000 40.289   18  0.035   18  0.035   17  0.050   18 0.5026   16  3.980   13  0.060   17  0.040
CLIPPERS      42 40  9329  9236 -0.002 39.867   19  0.028   19  0.022   14  0.120   19 0.5020   25  3.937   20 -0.091   10  0.331
WARRIORS      37 45  9398  9444  0.015 40.793   20 -0.092   20 -0.099   20 -0.142   20 0.4901   19  3.963   23 -0.220   19 -0.064
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 -0.044 40.612   21 -0.278   21 -0.275   25 -0.549   21 0.4725   20  3.950   29 -0.695   21 -0.402
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.033 40.598   22 -0.298   22 -0.300   22 -0.421   22 0.4697    3  4.040   21 -0.098   27 -0.745
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.016 40.810   23 -0.461   24 -0.462   21 -0.236   23 0.4567    7  4.014   18 -0.052   23 -0.420
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.030 40.711   24 -0.464   23 -0.460   23 -0.422   24 0.4557   11  3.993   24 -0.349   24 -0.496
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.032 40.736   25 -0.503   25 -0.503   26 -0.585   25 0.4527    6  4.018   25 -0.379   28 -0.791
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.037 41.142   26 -0.586   26 -0.585   27 -0.585   26 0.4448    1  4.078   19 -0.056   29 -1.115
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.043 41.239   27 -0.596   27 -0.588   28 -0.671   27 0.4447   13  3.987   28 -0.627   26 -0.714
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.057 41.020   28 -0.676   28 -0.669   29 -0.814   28 0.4380   30  3.898   30 -1.221   22 -0.407
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.035 41.172   29 -0.682   29 -0.683   24 -0.502   29 0.4358   10  3.997   26 -0.404   25 -0.599
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.066 41.092   30 -0.795   30 -0.795   30 -0.834   30 0.4289    4  4.037   27 -0.527   30 -1.140

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        53 29  9540  9396  0.011 40.102    7  0.365    7  0.374   13  0.176    7 0.5350   15  3.985   11  0.208   11  0.144
SUNS          45 37  9232  9112  0.036 40.911   13  0.154   13  0.150   15  0.113   13 0.5143   27  3.917   22 -0.198    9  0.424
CLIPPERS      42 40  9329  9236 -0.002 39.867   19  0.028   19  0.022   14  0.120   19 0.5020   25  3.937   20 -0.091   10  0.331
WARRIORS      37 45  9398  9444  0.015 40.793   20 -0.092   20 -0.099   20 -0.142   20 0.4901   19  3.963   23 -0.220   19 -0.064
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.043 41.239   27 -0.596   27 -0.588   28 -0.671   27 0.4447   13  3.987   28 -0.627   26 -0.714

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       64 18  9760  8846  0.074 40.006    1  0.756    1  0.758    1  0.745    1 0.5699   26  3.931    4  0.504    1  0.987
NUGGETS       54 28 10010  9588  0.031 39.852    5  0.395    5  0.397    7  0.387    5 0.5382    5  4.031    2  0.660   13  0.114
TIMBERWOLVES  49 33  9676  9401  0.007 39.595   10  0.231   10  0.228   12  0.185   10 0.5221   12  3.990   10  0.245   12  0.126
TRAIL BLAZERS 42 40  9469  9493  0.000 40.289   18  0.035   18  0.035   17  0.050   18 0.5026   16  3.980   13  0.060   17  0.040
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.037 41.142   26 -0.586   26 -0.585   27 -0.585   26 0.4448    1  4.078   19 -0.056   29 -1.115

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         62 21  9939  9269  0.077 40.989    2  0.663    2  0.669    2  0.665    2 0.5619   14  3.987    1  0.708    7  0.621
ROCKETS       52 30  9449  9021  0.017 39.390    8  0.327    9  0.327    8  0.324    8 0.5311   28  3.912   16 -0.014    5  0.661
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.016 40.810   23 -0.461   24 -0.462   21 -0.236   23 0.4567    7  4.014   18 -0.052   23 -0.420
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.030 40.711   24 -0.464   23 -0.460   23 -0.422   24 0.4557   11  3.993   24 -0.349   24 -0.496
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.032 40.736   25 -0.503   25 -0.503   26 -0.585   25 0.4527    6  4.018   25 -0.379   28 -0.791

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       60 22  9657  8988  0.023 38.894    3  0.554    3  0.562    3  0.597    3 0.5541   23  3.943    7  0.414    3  0.779
CAVALIERS     52 30  9801  9463  0.010 39.533    9  0.324    8  0.327   10  0.260    9 0.5310    8  4.013    6  0.443   15  0.078
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.044 40.612   21 -0.278   21 -0.275   25 -0.549   21 0.4725   20  3.950   29 -0.695   21 -0.402
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.033 40.598   22 -0.298   22 -0.300   22 -0.421   22 0.4697    3  4.040   21 -0.098   27 -0.745
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.035 41.172   29 -0.682   29 -0.683   24 -0.502   29 0.4358   10  3.997   26 -0.404   25 -0.599

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         46 36  9714  9516  0.023 40.269   11  0.164   11  0.160    9  0.269   11 0.5150    9  4.012    5  0.446   14  0.092
MAGIC         45 37  9491  9439  0.023 40.755   14  0.140   14  0.138   18  0.026   14 0.5125   18  3.972   15 -0.009   16  0.061
HORNETS       44 38  9513  9117  0.017 39.484   16  0.095   16  0.084    5  0.491   16 0.5076   21  3.945    8  0.320    4  0.663
HEAT          43 39  9911  9720  0.026 40.437   17  0.075   17  0.073   16  0.105   17 0.5064    2  4.058    3  0.526   20 -0.315
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.066 41.092   30 -0.795   30 -0.795   30 -0.834   30 0.4289    4  4.037   27 -0.527   30 -1.140

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       56 26  9418  8787  0.040 39.558    4  0.458    4  0.457    4  0.576    4 0.5438   29  3.903   12  0.196    2  0.956
KNICKS        54 29  9673  9143  0.042 40.370    6  0.382    6  0.382    6  0.462    6 0.5362   22  3.943    9  0.283    6  0.641
RAPTORS       46 36  9400  9168  0.021 40.150   12  0.161   12  0.155   11  0.245   12 0.5144   24  3.940   14  0.049    8  0.442
76ERS         45 37  9502  9517 -0.005 40.163   15  0.124   15  0.125   19 -0.046   15 0.5111   17  3.978   17 -0.048   18 -0.044
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.057 41.020   28 -0.676   28 -0.669   29 -0.814   28 0.4380   30  3.898   30 -1.221   22 -0.407

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 231 179 0.563    1  0.174
ATLANTIC DIVISION  221 190 0.538    2  0.107
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 195 215 0.476    3 -0.005
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 191 220 0.465    4 -0.044
PACIFIC DIVISION   199 211 0.485    5 -0.080
CENTRAL DIVISION   194 216 0.473    6 -0.126

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Apr 13 05:30:10 2026
games through: Sun Apr 12 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.