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       61 16 9153 8276  0.070 37.535    1  0.776    1  0.780    1  0.765    1 0.5721   26  3.927    4  0.505    1  1.025
SPURS         59 20 9455 8818  0.085 39.393    2  0.665    2  0.669    2  0.685    2 0.5626   12  3.988    1  0.737    6  0.632
PISTONS       57 21 9162 8533  0.023 37.161    3  0.548    3  0.554    3  0.594    3 0.5542   24  3.937    7  0.389    3  0.800
CELTICS       52 25 8827 8246  0.032 37.059    4  0.429    4  0.426    4  0.551    4 0.5420   29  3.900   12  0.158    2  0.944
HORNETS       42 36 9079 8682 -0.015 36.760   17  0.074   17  0.060    5  0.490   17 0.5057   21  3.948    8  0.336    4  0.644
KNICKS        51 28 9245 8727  0.026 38.039    6  0.350    6  0.351    6  0.460    6 0.5342   20  3.949    9  0.314    7  0.606
NUGGETS       50 28 9482 9112  0.017 37.754    7  0.333    7  0.338    7  0.318    7 0.5332    5  4.028    2  0.583   15  0.054
CAVALIERS     48 29 9188 8872  0.024 37.645    8  0.303    8  0.307    8  0.291    8 0.5302    7  4.012    6  0.472   12  0.109
HAWKS         45 33 9252 9041  0.005 37.850   11  0.183   11  0.181    9  0.287   11 0.5174    6  4.014    5  0.478   13  0.096
ROCKETS       48 29 8836 8461  0.015 37.112    9  0.294    9  0.296   10  0.273    9 0.5285   28  3.906   18 -0.091    5  0.637
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  46 31 9056 8785  0.007 37.267   10  0.227   10  0.225   11  0.200   10 0.5226   17  3.981   10  0.220   11  0.180
RAPTORS       43 34 8819 8631  0.009 37.581   12  0.142   12  0.139   12  0.185   12 0.5135   23  3.941   14 -0.001    9  0.371
LAKERS        50 27 8974 8856  0.011 37.835    5  0.369    5  0.379   13  0.147    5 0.5361   11  3.991   11  0.217   14  0.077
CLIPPERS      39 38 8753 8670  0.003 37.704   19  0.025   19  0.013   14  0.131   19 0.5013   25  3.936   17 -0.081   10  0.343
SUNS          42 35 8687 8572  0.029 38.335   13  0.134   13  0.132   15  0.107   13 0.5128   27  3.921   23 -0.179    8  0.393
HEAT          41 37 9419 9237  0.023 38.483   16  0.078   16  0.072   16  0.103   16 0.5065    2  4.057    3  0.521   20 -0.315
TRAIL BLAZERS 40 38 8998 9037 -0.005 38.329   18  0.039   18  0.033   17  0.022   18 0.5023   15  3.984   13  0.057   16 -0.014
76ERS         43 35 9067 9089 -0.009 38.218   14  0.124   14  0.127   18 -0.067   14 0.5113   16  3.984   15 -0.034   19 -0.100
MAGIC         41 36 8889 8888  0.009 38.141   15  0.086   15  0.088   19 -0.077   15 0.5078   18  3.971   21 -0.112   18 -0.042
WARRIORS      36 41 8841 8864  0.029 38.744   20 -0.034   20 -0.047   20 -0.092   20 0.4948   19  3.964   22 -0.163   17 -0.020
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PELICANS      25 53 8965 9317 -0.016 38.872   23 -0.445   23 -0.447   21 -0.234   23 0.4574    9  4.004   19 -0.095   22 -0.374
BULLS         29 48 8948 9362 -0.009 38.887   22 -0.279   22 -0.280   22 -0.407   22 0.4710    3  4.041   16 -0.075   28 -0.739
GRIZZLIES     25 52 8841 9208 -0.030 38.122   24 -0.448   24 -0.449   23 -0.450   24 0.4568    8  4.012   24 -0.271   25 -0.629
MAVERICKS     24 53 8745 9187 -0.038 38.128   25 -0.476   25 -0.474   24 -0.468   25 0.4533   14  3.985   26 -0.430   24 -0.507
PACERS        18 59 8669 9301 -0.038 38.692   29 -0.669   29 -0.668   25 -0.528   29 0.4359   10  4.001   25 -0.407   26 -0.648
BUCKS         30 47 8509 8999 -0.027 38.617   21 -0.264   21 -0.259   26 -0.553   21 0.4733   22  3.947   29 -0.711   23 -0.396
JAZZ          21 57 9140 9799 -0.039 39.108   26 -0.577   26 -0.576   27 -0.603   27 0.4446    1  4.073   20 -0.100   30 -1.106
KINGS         21 57 8654 9434 -0.043 39.357   27 -0.587   27 -0.580   28 -0.667   26 0.4452   13  3.986   28 -0.624   27 -0.710
NETS          18 59 8166 8916 -0.020 39.422   28 -0.663   28 -0.659   29 -0.734   28 0.4379   30  3.898   30 -1.137   21 -0.331
WIZARDS       17 60 8702 9601 -0.047 39.085   30 -0.737   30 -0.731   30 -0.763   30 0.4334    4  4.038   27 -0.444   29 -1.082

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        50 27 8974 8856  0.011 37.835    5  0.369    5  0.379   13  0.147    5 0.5361   11  3.991   11  0.217   14  0.077
CLIPPERS      39 38 8753 8670  0.003 37.704   19  0.025   19  0.013   14  0.131   19 0.5013   25  3.936   17 -0.081   10  0.343
SUNS          42 35 8687 8572  0.029 38.335   13  0.134   13  0.132   15  0.107   13 0.5128   27  3.921   23 -0.179    8  0.393
WARRIORS      36 41 8841 8864  0.029 38.744   20 -0.034   20 -0.047   20 -0.092   20 0.4948   19  3.964   22 -0.163   17 -0.020
KINGS         21 57 8654 9434 -0.043 39.357   27 -0.587   27 -0.580   28 -0.667   26 0.4452   13  3.986   28 -0.624   27 -0.710

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       61 16 9153 8276  0.070 37.535    1  0.776    1  0.780    1  0.765    1 0.5721   26  3.927    4  0.505    1  1.025
NUGGETS       50 28 9482 9112  0.017 37.754    7  0.333    7  0.338    7  0.318    7 0.5332    5  4.028    2  0.583   15  0.054
TIMBERWOLVES  46 31 9056 8785  0.007 37.267   10  0.227   10  0.225   11  0.200   10 0.5226   17  3.981   10  0.220   11  0.180
TRAIL BLAZERS 40 38 8998 9037 -0.005 38.329   18  0.039   18  0.033   17  0.022   18 0.5023   15  3.984   13  0.057   16 -0.014
JAZZ          21 57 9140 9799 -0.039 39.108   26 -0.577   26 -0.576   27 -0.603   27 0.4446    1  4.073   20 -0.100   30 -1.106

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         59 20 9455 8818  0.085 39.393    2  0.665    2  0.669    2  0.685    2 0.5626   12  3.988    1  0.737    6  0.632
ROCKETS       48 29 8836 8461  0.015 37.112    9  0.294    9  0.296   10  0.273    9 0.5285   28  3.906   18 -0.091    5  0.637
PELICANS      25 53 8965 9317 -0.016 38.872   23 -0.445   23 -0.447   21 -0.234   23 0.4574    9  4.004   19 -0.095   22 -0.374
GRIZZLIES     25 52 8841 9208 -0.030 38.122   24 -0.448   24 -0.449   23 -0.450   24 0.4568    8  4.012   24 -0.271   25 -0.629
MAVERICKS     24 53 8745 9187 -0.038 38.128   25 -0.476   25 -0.474   24 -0.468   25 0.4533   14  3.985   26 -0.430   24 -0.507

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       57 21 9162 8533  0.023 37.161    3  0.548    3  0.554    3  0.594    3 0.5542   24  3.937    7  0.389    3  0.800
CAVALIERS     48 29 9188 8872  0.024 37.645    8  0.303    8  0.307    8  0.291    8 0.5302    7  4.012    6  0.472   12  0.109
BULLS         29 48 8948 9362 -0.009 38.887   22 -0.279   22 -0.280   22 -0.407   22 0.4710    3  4.041   16 -0.075   28 -0.739
PACERS        18 59 8669 9301 -0.038 38.692   29 -0.669   29 -0.668   25 -0.528   29 0.4359   10  4.001   25 -0.407   26 -0.648
BUCKS         30 47 8509 8999 -0.027 38.617   21 -0.264   21 -0.259   26 -0.553   21 0.4733   22  3.947   29 -0.711   23 -0.396

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
HORNETS       42 36 9079 8682 -0.015 36.760   17  0.074   17  0.060    5  0.490   17 0.5057   21  3.948    8  0.336    4  0.644
HAWKS         45 33 9252 9041  0.005 37.850   11  0.183   11  0.181    9  0.287   11 0.5174    6  4.014    5  0.478   13  0.096
HEAT          41 37 9419 9237  0.023 38.483   16  0.078   16  0.072   16  0.103   16 0.5065    2  4.057    3  0.521   20 -0.315
MAGIC         41 36 8889 8888  0.009 38.141   15  0.086   15  0.088   19 -0.077   15 0.5078   18  3.971   21 -0.112   18 -0.042
WIZARDS       17 60 8702 9601 -0.047 39.085   30 -0.737   30 -0.731   30 -0.763   30 0.4334    4  4.038   27 -0.444   29 -1.082

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       52 25 8827 8246  0.032 37.059    4  0.429    4  0.426    4  0.551    4 0.5420   29  3.900   12  0.158    2  0.944
KNICKS        51 28 9245 8727  0.026 38.039    6  0.350    6  0.351    6  0.460    6 0.5342   20  3.949    9  0.314    7  0.606
RAPTORS       43 34 8819 8631  0.009 37.581   12  0.142   12  0.139   12  0.185   12 0.5135   23  3.941   14 -0.001    9  0.371
76ERS         43 35 9067 9089 -0.009 38.218   14  0.124   14  0.127   18 -0.067   14 0.5113   16  3.984   15 -0.034   19 -0.100
NETS          18 59 8166 8916 -0.020 39.422   28 -0.663   28 -0.659   29 -0.734   28 0.4379   30  3.898   30 -1.137   21 -0.331

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 218 170 0.562    1  0.166
ATLANTIC DIVISION  207 181 0.534    2  0.100
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 186 202 0.479    3 -0.012
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 181 207 0.466    4 -0.035
PACIFIC DIVISION   188 198 0.487    5 -0.076
CENTRAL DIVISION   182 204 0.472    6 -0.124

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Apr  5 05:30:10 2026
games through: Sat Apr  4 2026

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