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
PELICANS      0 3 374 384 -0.222  1.245   28 -0.313   29 -0.332   22 -0.166   30 0.3900    1  4.054    5  0.276   28 -0.609 P
LAKERS        3 0 384 345 -0.040  1.338    5  0.281    5  0.276    7  0.214    4 0.5632    2  4.038    1  0.573   20 -0.146 P
BULLS         1 3 443 518 -0.136  2.110   23 -0.224   23 -0.187   30 -0.432   24 0.4484    3  4.036   19 -0.082   30 -0.783 P
BUCKS         1 3 467 489 -0.395  1.442   27 -0.275   27 -0.279   24 -0.229   25 0.4354    4  4.033   10  0.103   27 -0.561 P
WARRIORS      1 3 469 483  0.146  2.231   21 -0.136   21 -0.118   16  0.009   18 0.4822    5  4.021    4  0.279   21 -0.262 P
NETS          0 3 333 371 -0.427  1.150   30 -0.348   30 -0.385   29 -0.418   29 0.3969    6  4.020   23 -0.153   29 -0.684 P
KINGS         0 3 328 372  0.132  1.773   26 -0.265   26 -0.253   26 -0.274   28 0.4272    7  4.018   17 -0.022   26 -0.525 P
HEAT          0 4 436 487 -0.015  2.093   29 -0.315   28 -0.329   23 -0.216   27 0.4307    8  4.012   15  0.005   25 -0.437 P
HAWKS         2 2 484 447  0.341  2.378   12  0.121   12  0.075    5  0.276    7 0.5416    9  4.008    2  0.474   14  0.078 P
SUNS          1 2 328 371  0.307  1.966   16 -0.061   17 -0.005   21 -0.134   15 0.5028   10  4.007   12  0.061   22 -0.328 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAVALIERS     2 1 358 360  0.053  1.511    8  0.174    8  0.146   13  0.076   11 0.5262   11  4.000    8  0.232   19 -0.081 P
JAZZ          1 3 451 484 -0.059  2.023   24 -0.235   24 -0.197   25 -0.272   23 0.4502   12  3.993   21 -0.148   24 -0.396 P
ROCKETS       4 0 483 444  0.395  2.461    1  0.397    1  0.462    3  0.345    1 0.6123   13  3.981    3  0.402   11  0.288 P
WIZARDS       2 2 457 458 -0.436  1.360   22 -0.149   22 -0.149   27 -0.310   21 0.4658   14  3.980   27 -0.253   23 -0.367 P
MAGIC         1 2 329 349  0.374  1.984   18 -0.070   16 -0.004   17 -0.024   19 0.4730   15  3.977   14  0.018   18 -0.065 P
MAVERICKS     2 2 450 464  0.133  2.231   15 -0.031   14  0.039   18 -0.048   14 0.5067   16  3.967   18 -0.063   16 -0.034 P
SPURS         1 2 336 336  0.353  1.908   14 -0.006   15 -0.001   11  0.118   13 0.5178   17  3.966   11  0.100   13  0.137 P
CELTICS       2 1 354 323  0.067  1.335    9  0.173    9  0.136    4  0.313    9 0.5321   18  3.961    6  0.272    6  0.355 P
PACERS        2 2 466 460 -0.301  1.484   20 -0.110   20 -0.085   20 -0.106   22 0.4545   19  3.958   25 -0.163   17 -0.049 P
PISTONS       3 0 355 317  0.228  1.672    3  0.309    3  0.329    6  0.269    3 0.5840   20  3.954    9  0.192    8  0.346 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
NUGGETS       1 2 339 365 -0.001  1.515   19 -0.090   19 -0.057   19 -0.053   20 0.4708   21  3.950   22 -0.152   15  0.045 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 2 0 252 203 -0.317  0.652   10  0.164   10  0.133    9  0.161    8 0.5381   22  3.944   13  0.032   10  0.290 P
CLIPPERS      1 2 339 329  0.337  1.785   17 -0.069   18 -0.019    8  0.170   17 0.5006   23  3.935   16 -0.004    9  0.345 P
TIMBERWOLVES  3 1 488 420  0.217  2.136    6  0.255    6  0.236    1  0.467    6 0.5492   24  3.925    7  0.240    2  0.695 P
GRIZZLIES     4 0 467 428 -0.200  1.555    4  0.296    4  0.293   12  0.095    5 0.5587   25  3.920   24 -0.155    7  0.346 P
76ERS         3 1 440 428 -0.014  1.927    7  0.212    7  0.174   14  0.031   10 0.5316   26  3.905   28 -0.293    5  0.355 P
RAPTORS       2 1 341 311  0.033  1.371   11  0.139   11  0.088   10  0.138   12 0.5218   27  3.902   26 -0.203    3  0.480 P
KNICKS        0 3 305 324  0.110  1.617   25 -0.237   25 -0.221   15  0.025   26 0.4338   28  3.884   29 -0.407    4  0.456 P
THUNDER       4 0 445 403  0.068  1.868    2  0.366    2  0.405    2  0.380    2 0.5955   29  3.876   20 -0.089    1  0.850 P
HORNETS       3 1 416 444 -0.481  1.350   13  0.048   13  0.068   28 -0.332   16 0.5020   30  3.867   30 -0.845   12  0.182 P

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        3 0 384 345 -0.040  1.338    5  0.281    5  0.276    7  0.214    4 0.5632    2  4.038    1  0.573   20 -0.146 P
WARRIORS      1 3 469 483  0.146  2.231   21 -0.136   21 -0.118   16  0.009   18 0.4822    5  4.021    4  0.279   21 -0.262 P
KINGS         0 3 328 372  0.132  1.773   26 -0.265   26 -0.253   26 -0.274   28 0.4272    7  4.018   17 -0.022   26 -0.525 P
SUNS          1 2 328 371  0.307  1.966   16 -0.061   17 -0.005   21 -0.134   15 0.5028   10  4.007   12  0.061   22 -0.328 P
CLIPPERS      1 2 339 329  0.337  1.785   17 -0.069   18 -0.019    8  0.170   17 0.5006   23  3.935   16 -0.004    9  0.345 P

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
JAZZ          1 3 451 484 -0.059  2.023   24 -0.235   24 -0.197   25 -0.272   23 0.4502   12  3.993   21 -0.148   24 -0.396 P
NUGGETS       1 2 339 365 -0.001  1.515   19 -0.090   19 -0.057   19 -0.053   20 0.4708   21  3.950   22 -0.152   15  0.045 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 2 0 252 203 -0.317  0.652   10  0.164   10  0.133    9  0.161    8 0.5381   22  3.944   13  0.032   10  0.290 P
TIMBERWOLVES  3 1 488 420  0.217  2.136    6  0.255    6  0.236    1  0.467    6 0.5492   24  3.925    7  0.240    2  0.695 P
THUNDER       4 0 445 403  0.068  1.868    2  0.366    2  0.405    2  0.380    2 0.5955   29  3.876   20 -0.089    1  0.850 P

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
PELICANS      0 3 374 384 -0.222  1.245   28 -0.313   29 -0.332   22 -0.166   30 0.3900    1  4.054    5  0.276   28 -0.609 P
ROCKETS       4 0 483 444  0.395  2.461    1  0.397    1  0.462    3  0.345    1 0.6123   13  3.981    3  0.402   11  0.288 P
MAVERICKS     2 2 450 464  0.133  2.231   15 -0.031   14  0.039   18 -0.048   14 0.5067   16  3.967   18 -0.063   16 -0.034 P
SPURS         1 2 336 336  0.353  1.908   14 -0.006   15 -0.001   11  0.118   13 0.5178   17  3.966   11  0.100   13  0.137 P
GRIZZLIES     4 0 467 428 -0.200  1.555    4  0.296    4  0.293   12  0.095    5 0.5587   25  3.920   24 -0.155    7  0.346 P

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
BULLS         1 3 443 518 -0.136  2.110   23 -0.224   23 -0.187   30 -0.432   24 0.4484    3  4.036   19 -0.082   30 -0.783 P
BUCKS         1 3 467 489 -0.395  1.442   27 -0.275   27 -0.279   24 -0.229   25 0.4354    4  4.033   10  0.103   27 -0.561 P
CAVALIERS     2 1 358 360  0.053  1.511    8  0.174    8  0.146   13  0.076   11 0.5262   11  4.000    8  0.232   19 -0.081 P
PACERS        2 2 466 460 -0.301  1.484   20 -0.110   20 -0.085   20 -0.106   22 0.4545   19  3.958   25 -0.163   17 -0.049 P
PISTONS       3 0 355 317  0.228  1.672    3  0.309    3  0.329    6  0.269    3 0.5840   20  3.954    9  0.192    8  0.346 P

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
HEAT          0 4 436 487 -0.015  2.093   29 -0.315   28 -0.329   23 -0.216   27 0.4307    8  4.012   15  0.005   25 -0.437 P
HAWKS         2 2 484 447  0.341  2.378   12  0.121   12  0.075    5  0.276    7 0.5416    9  4.008    2  0.474   14  0.078 P
WIZARDS       2 2 457 458 -0.436  1.360   22 -0.149   22 -0.149   27 -0.310   21 0.4658   14  3.980   27 -0.253   23 -0.367 P
MAGIC         1 2 329 349  0.374  1.984   18 -0.070   16 -0.004   17 -0.024   19 0.4730   15  3.977   14  0.018   18 -0.065 P
HORNETS       3 1 416 444 -0.481  1.350   13  0.048   13  0.068   28 -0.332   16 0.5020   30  3.867   30 -0.845   12  0.182 P

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
NETS          0 3 333 371 -0.427  1.150   30 -0.348   30 -0.385   29 -0.418   29 0.3969    6  4.020   23 -0.153   29 -0.684 P
CELTICS       2 1 354 323  0.067  1.335    9  0.173    9  0.136    4  0.313    9 0.5321   18  3.961    6  0.272    6  0.355 P
76ERS         3 1 440 428 -0.014  1.927    7  0.212    7  0.174   14  0.031   10 0.5316   26  3.905   28 -0.293    5  0.355 P
RAPTORS       2 1 341 311  0.033  1.371   11  0.139   11  0.088   10  0.138   12 0.5218   27  3.902   26 -0.203    3  0.480 P
KNICKS        0 3 305 324  0.110  1.617   25 -0.237   25 -0.221   15  0.025   26 0.4338   28  3.884   29 -0.407    4  0.456 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 11  6 0.647    1  0.297
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 11  7 0.611    2  0.144
ATLANTIC DIVISION   7  9 0.438    3  0.055
PACIFIC DIVISION    6 10 0.375    4 -0.005
CENTRAL DIVISION    9  9 0.500    5 -0.159
SOUTHEAST DIVISION  8 11 0.421    6 -0.237

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Oct 27 05:30:19 2026
games through: Mon Oct 26 2026

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