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
HAWKS         1 0 132 125  0.169  0.559    8  0.065    5  0.095   14  0.039    5 0.5345    1  4.033    1  0.361   28 -0.283 P
MAGIC         0 1 125 132 -0.175  0.418   24 -0.072   26 -0.070   20 -0.043   26 0.4571    2  4.033    3  0.279   30 -0.365 P
BUCKS         0 1 116 128 -0.181  0.423   26 -0.079   27 -0.073   23 -0.080   27 0.4534    3  4.006   13  0.099   26 -0.259 P
WIZARDS       1 0 128 116 -0.560  0.274   20 -0.040   17  0.005   27 -0.180   20 0.4769    4  4.006   18 -0.001   29 -0.359 P
PELICANS      0 1 120 123 -0.366  0.343   28 -0.106   29 -0.098   24 -0.102   29 0.4402    5  4.004   14  0.066   27 -0.270 P
PACERS        1 0 123 120  0.003  0.495    9  0.045    7  0.076   18 -0.026   11 0.5216    6  4.004    8  0.142   25 -0.194 P
ROCKETS       1 0 128 110 -0.402  0.285    4  0.076    6  0.078    7  0.110    6 0.5320    7  3.992    5  0.218   16  0.003 P
MAVERICKS     0 1 110 128  0.517  0.735   23 -0.064   22 -0.038   22 -0.073   23 0.4696    8  3.992   15  0.035   23 -0.180 P
HEAT          0 1 106 131  0.243  0.620   21 -0.045   21 -0.034   21 -0.062   21 0.4714    9  3.990   16  0.035   22 -0.159 P
TIMBERWOLVES  1 0 131 106  0.180  0.526    2  0.102    2  0.115    2  0.207    2 0.5559   10  3.990    2  0.304    8  0.110 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PISTONS       1 0 121 113  0.164  0.550    3  0.078    4  0.101   12  0.070    4 0.5393   11  3.985    9  0.137   17  0.002 P
CELTICS       0 1 113 121  0.531  0.697   15  0.021   16  0.013    3  0.169   15 0.5106   12  3.985    4  0.237   11  0.102 P
WARRIORS      0 1 105 127  0.554  0.742   18 -0.033   18 -0.018   17 -0.022   17 0.4827   13  3.979   17  0.018   20 -0.062 P
LAKERS        1 0 127 105 -0.290  0.331    7  0.067    8  0.076    6  0.112    7 0.5314   14  3.979    7  0.152   14  0.072 P
NUGGETS       0 0   0   0  0.000  0.000   11  0.041   13  0.042    9  0.104   10 0.5240   15  3.973   12  0.109   13  0.099 P
CAVALIERS     0 0   0   0  0.000  0.000   10  0.041   12  0.042    8  0.104    9 0.5240   16  3.973   11  0.109   12  0.099 P
JAZZ          0 1 103 123  0.221  0.633   29 -0.108   28 -0.073   28 -0.187   28 0.4443   17  3.966   26 -0.215   21 -0.159 P
GRIZZLIES     1 0 123 103 -0.728  0.184   14  0.026   14  0.039   16  0.008   16 0.5055   18  3.966   20 -0.020   15  0.036 P
RAPTORS       1 0 135  92 -0.779  0.148   12  0.040   11  0.045    4  0.145   12 0.5167   19  3.965   10  0.114    6  0.177 P
BULLS         0 1  92 135  0.567  0.783   25 -0.078   24 -0.042   30 -0.222   25 0.4576   20  3.965   27 -0.253   24 -0.190 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
THUNDER       1 0 116 104  0.415  0.623    1  0.155    1  0.158    1  0.273    1 0.5803   21  3.954    6  0.180    1  0.365 P
SPURS         0 1 104 116  0.415  0.678   19 -0.037   20 -0.025   15  0.014   18 0.4809   22  3.954   21 -0.078   10  0.106 P
CLIPPERS      1 0 121  96 -0.599  0.207    6  0.069    9  0.068    5  0.131    8 0.5278   23  3.945   19 -0.003    5  0.265 P
KINGS         0 1  96 121  0.534  0.758   27 -0.085   25 -0.049   26 -0.156   24 0.4588   24  3.945   28 -0.290   18 -0.022 P
NETS          0 1 103 110 -0.432  0.332   30 -0.136   30 -0.118   29 -0.193   30 0.4244   25  3.938   29 -0.363   19 -0.022 P
HORNETS       1 0 110 103 -0.223  0.392   13  0.031   10  0.059   19 -0.038   13 0.5131   26  3.938   25 -0.208    7  0.133 P
KNICKS        0 1 100 106 -0.093  0.433   17 -0.023   23 -0.038   11  0.070   19 0.4801   27  3.922   23 -0.180    3  0.320 P
76ERS         1 0 106 100  0.441  0.679    5  0.071    3  0.111   13  0.049    3 0.5409   28  3.922   24 -0.202    4  0.299 P
SUNS          0 1  83 124  0.505  0.749   22 -0.046   19 -0.025   25 -0.149   22 0.4707   29  3.921   30 -0.405    9  0.106 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 1 0 124  83 -0.631  0.198   16  0.019   15  0.036   10  0.103   14 0.5108   30  3.921   22 -0.153    2  0.359 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
WARRIORS      0 1 105 127  0.554  0.742   18 -0.033   18 -0.018   17 -0.022   17 0.4827   13  3.979   17  0.018   20 -0.062 P
LAKERS        1 0 127 105 -0.290  0.331    7  0.067    8  0.076    6  0.112    7 0.5314   14  3.979    7  0.152   14  0.072 P
CLIPPERS      1 0 121  96 -0.599  0.207    6  0.069    9  0.068    5  0.131    8 0.5278   23  3.945   19 -0.003    5  0.265 P
KINGS         0 1  96 121  0.534  0.758   27 -0.085   25 -0.049   26 -0.156   24 0.4588   24  3.945   28 -0.290   18 -0.022 P
SUNS          0 1  83 124  0.505  0.749   22 -0.046   19 -0.025   25 -0.149   22 0.4707   29  3.921   30 -0.405    9  0.106 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
TIMBERWOLVES  1 0 131 106  0.180  0.526    2  0.102    2  0.115    2  0.207    2 0.5559   10  3.990    2  0.304    8  0.110 P
NUGGETS       0 0   0   0  0.000  0.000   11  0.041   13  0.042    9  0.104   10 0.5240   15  3.973   12  0.109   13  0.099 P
JAZZ          0 1 103 123  0.221  0.633   29 -0.108   28 -0.073   28 -0.187   28 0.4443   17  3.966   26 -0.215   21 -0.159 P
THUNDER       1 0 116 104  0.415  0.623    1  0.155    1  0.158    1  0.273    1 0.5803   21  3.954    6  0.180    1  0.365 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 1 0 124  83 -0.631  0.198   16  0.019   15  0.036   10  0.103   14 0.5108   30  3.921   22 -0.153    2  0.359 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 1 120 123 -0.366  0.343   28 -0.106   29 -0.098   24 -0.102   29 0.4402    5  4.004   14  0.066   27 -0.270 P
ROCKETS       1 0 128 110 -0.402  0.285    4  0.076    6  0.078    7  0.110    6 0.5320    7  3.992    5  0.218   16  0.003 P
MAVERICKS     0 1 110 128  0.517  0.735   23 -0.064   22 -0.038   22 -0.073   23 0.4696    8  3.992   15  0.035   23 -0.180 P
GRIZZLIES     1 0 123 103 -0.728  0.184   14  0.026   14  0.039   16  0.008   16 0.5055   18  3.966   20 -0.020   15  0.036 P
SPURS         0 1 104 116  0.415  0.678   19 -0.037   20 -0.025   15  0.014   18 0.4809   22  3.954   21 -0.078   10  0.106 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
BUCKS         0 1 116 128 -0.181  0.423   26 -0.079   27 -0.073   23 -0.080   27 0.4534    3  4.006   13  0.099   26 -0.259 P
PACERS        1 0 123 120  0.003  0.495    9  0.045    7  0.076   18 -0.026   11 0.5216    6  4.004    8  0.142   25 -0.194 P
PISTONS       1 0 121 113  0.164  0.550    3  0.078    4  0.101   12  0.070    4 0.5393   11  3.985    9  0.137   17  0.002 P
CAVALIERS     0 0   0   0  0.000  0.000   10  0.041   12  0.042    8  0.104    9 0.5240   16  3.973   11  0.109   12  0.099 P
BULLS         0 1  92 135  0.567  0.783   25 -0.078   24 -0.042   30 -0.222   25 0.4576   20  3.965   27 -0.253   24 -0.190 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
HAWKS         1 0 132 125  0.169  0.559    8  0.065    5  0.095   14  0.039    5 0.5345    1  4.033    1  0.361   28 -0.283 P
MAGIC         0 1 125 132 -0.175  0.418   24 -0.072   26 -0.070   20 -0.043   26 0.4571    2  4.033    3  0.279   30 -0.365 P
WIZARDS       1 0 128 116 -0.560  0.274   20 -0.040   17  0.005   27 -0.180   20 0.4769    4  4.006   18 -0.001   29 -0.359 P
HEAT          0 1 106 131  0.243  0.620   21 -0.045   21 -0.034   21 -0.062   21 0.4714    9  3.990   16  0.035   22 -0.159 P
HORNETS       1 0 110 103 -0.223  0.392   13  0.031   10  0.059   19 -0.038   13 0.5131   26  3.938   25 -0.208    7  0.133 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
CELTICS       0 1 113 121  0.531  0.697   15  0.021   16  0.013    3  0.169   15 0.5106   12  3.985    4  0.237   11  0.102 P
RAPTORS       1 0 135  92 -0.779  0.148   12  0.040   11  0.045    4  0.145   12 0.5167   19  3.965   10  0.114    6  0.177 P
NETS          0 1 103 110 -0.432  0.332   30 -0.136   30 -0.118   29 -0.193   30 0.4244   25  3.938   29 -0.363   19 -0.022 P
KNICKS        0 1 100 106 -0.093  0.433   17 -0.023   23 -0.038   11  0.070   19 0.4801   27  3.922   23 -0.180    3  0.320 P
76ERS         1 0 106 100  0.441  0.679    5  0.071    3  0.111   13  0.049    3 0.5409   28  3.922   24 -0.202    4  0.299 P

DIVISION           W L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 3 1 0.750    1  0.329
ATLANTIC DIVISION  2 3 0.400    2  0.158
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 2 3 0.400    3 -0.023
PACIFIC DIVISION   2 3 0.400    4 -0.062
CENTRAL DIVISION   2 2 0.500    5 -0.097
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 3 2 0.600    6 -0.161

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Thu Oct 22 05:30:14 2026
games through: Wed Oct 21 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.