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
JAZZ          20 47 7863 8377 -0.022 33.700   26 -0.476   26 -0.467   26 -0.490   26 0.4517    1  4.069   14  0.001   29 -0.981
HEAT          38 30 8188 7929  0.017 33.196   13  0.147   14  0.136    9  0.247   13 0.5136    2  4.041    2  0.590   18 -0.096
WIZARDS       16 50 7434 8163 -0.067 32.701   29 -0.661   29 -0.660   30 -0.711   29 0.4357    3  4.029   26 -0.429   30 -0.992
BULLS         27 40 7755 8054 -0.015 33.414   22 -0.221   22 -0.219   23 -0.325   22 0.4762    4  4.026   19 -0.062   26 -0.589
NUGGETS       41 27 8207 7933  0.031 33.472    9  0.256    9  0.251    8  0.254    9 0.5258    5  4.023    4  0.500   16  0.008
HAWKS         36 31 7888 7814 -0.013 32.394   16  0.079   16  0.071   14  0.102   16 0.5077    6  4.013    8  0.299   17 -0.095
CAVALIERS     41 26 7978 7680  0.043 33.126    7  0.282    8  0.285    6  0.366    7 0.5289    7  4.011    3  0.551   12  0.181
PELICANS      22 46 7850 8149 -0.025 33.574   25 -0.436   25 -0.431   21 -0.202   24 0.4575    8  4.009   16 -0.027   23 -0.376
GRIZZLIES     23 43 7637 7816 -0.044 31.892   23 -0.394   23 -0.395   22 -0.252   23 0.4609    9  4.009   20 -0.081   25 -0.424
TIMBERWOLVES  41 26 7952 7715 -0.021 31.797   10  0.230   10  0.228   11  0.152   10 0.5233   10  3.999    9  0.276   14  0.029
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TRAIL BLAZERS 32 35 7722 7886  0.037 34.254   20 -0.007   18 -0.009   20 -0.139   20 0.4979   11  3.999   15 -0.016   22 -0.262
LAKERS        42 25 7805 7723 -0.013 32.433    8  0.280    6  0.287   15  0.096    6 0.5291   12  3.992   11  0.182   15  0.010
SPURS         49 19 8075 7614  0.088 34.322    2  0.572    2  0.583    2  0.557    2 0.5575   13  3.988    1  0.620    6  0.494
KINGS         17 51 7531 8208 -0.014 34.766   28 -0.590   28 -0.586   29 -0.616   28 0.4424   14  3.982   28 -0.585   28 -0.647
PACERS        15 52 7439 8020 -0.051 33.342   30 -0.672   30 -0.680   27 -0.604   30 0.4320   15  3.980   27 -0.580   27 -0.629
76ERS         36 31 7749 7785 -0.009 32.839   15  0.087   15  0.088   19 -0.102   15 0.5077   16  3.979   21 -0.083   19 -0.121
MAVERICKS     22 45 7567 7908 -0.037 33.045   24 -0.429   24 -0.421   24 -0.400   25 0.4567   17  3.974   25 -0.407   24 -0.394
WARRIORS      32 34 7605 7552  0.024 32.865   19 -0.002   20 -0.015   18  0.022   19 0.4985   18  3.964   17 -0.039   13  0.083
MAGIC         38 28 7635 7528  0.020 32.620   12  0.191   12  0.190   13  0.116   12 0.5183   19  3.961   13  0.040   11  0.191
KNICKS        44 25 8077 7638  0.039 33.787    5  0.330    5  0.331    5  0.467    5 0.5352   20  3.953    7  0.353    4  0.582
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HORNETS       34 34 7855 7638 -0.004 32.735   18  0.003   19 -0.012    7  0.320   18 0.4991   21  3.950   10  0.187    7  0.453
PISTONS       48 18 7746 7235  0.018 31.485    3  0.514    3  0.521    3  0.542    3 0.5527   22  3.947    6  0.394    3  0.689
BUCKS         27 39 7315 7656 -0.023 32.914   21 -0.213   21 -0.208   25 -0.424   21 0.4779   23  3.943   29 -0.593   21 -0.255
CLIPPERS      34 33 7600 7543  0.022 33.317   17  0.043   17  0.033   12  0.152   17 0.5032   24  3.937   18 -0.047    9  0.350
RAPTORS       37 29 7494 7388 -0.001 32.137   14  0.144   13  0.137   16  0.080   14 0.5135   25  3.934   22 -0.134   10  0.294
THUNDER       52 15 7944 7221  0.050 32.493    1  0.687    1  0.689    1  0.654    1 0.5673   26  3.927    5  0.406    1  0.902
SUNS          39 28 7540 7448  0.010 32.923   11  0.201   11  0.201   17  0.059   11 0.5201   27  3.918   24 -0.235    8  0.353
ROCKETS       41 25 7533 7254  0.019 32.051    6  0.283    7  0.286   10  0.179    8 0.5286   28  3.905   23 -0.177    5  0.535
NETS          17 50 7152 7746 -0.001 34.444   27 -0.573   27 -0.569   28 -0.613   27 0.4434   29  3.905   30 -0.973   20 -0.253
CELTICS       44 23 7654 7169  0.010 31.769    4  0.346    4  0.347    4  0.472    4 0.5363   30  3.898   12  0.081    2  0.863

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        42 25 7805 7723 -0.013 32.433    8  0.280    6  0.287   15  0.096    6 0.5291   12  3.992   11  0.182   15  0.010
KINGS         17 51 7531 8208 -0.014 34.766   28 -0.590   28 -0.586   29 -0.616   28 0.4424   14  3.982   28 -0.585   28 -0.647
WARRIORS      32 34 7605 7552  0.024 32.865   19 -0.002   20 -0.015   18  0.022   19 0.4985   18  3.964   17 -0.039   13  0.083
CLIPPERS      34 33 7600 7543  0.022 33.317   17  0.043   17  0.033   12  0.152   17 0.5032   24  3.937   18 -0.047    9  0.350
SUNS          39 28 7540 7448  0.010 32.923   11  0.201   11  0.201   17  0.059   11 0.5201   27  3.918   24 -0.235    8  0.353

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          20 47 7863 8377 -0.022 33.700   26 -0.476   26 -0.467   26 -0.490   26 0.4517    1  4.069   14  0.001   29 -0.981
NUGGETS       41 27 8207 7933  0.031 33.472    9  0.256    9  0.251    8  0.254    9 0.5258    5  4.023    4  0.500   16  0.008
TIMBERWOLVES  41 26 7952 7715 -0.021 31.797   10  0.230   10  0.228   11  0.152   10 0.5233   10  3.999    9  0.276   14  0.029
TRAIL BLAZERS 32 35 7722 7886  0.037 34.254   20 -0.007   18 -0.009   20 -0.139   20 0.4979   11  3.999   15 -0.016   22 -0.262
THUNDER       52 15 7944 7221  0.050 32.493    1  0.687    1  0.689    1  0.654    1 0.5673   26  3.927    5  0.406    1  0.902

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      22 46 7850 8149 -0.025 33.574   25 -0.436   25 -0.431   21 -0.202   24 0.4575    8  4.009   16 -0.027   23 -0.376
GRIZZLIES     23 43 7637 7816 -0.044 31.892   23 -0.394   23 -0.395   22 -0.252   23 0.4609    9  4.009   20 -0.081   25 -0.424
SPURS         49 19 8075 7614  0.088 34.322    2  0.572    2  0.583    2  0.557    2 0.5575   13  3.988    1  0.620    6  0.494
MAVERICKS     22 45 7567 7908 -0.037 33.045   24 -0.429   24 -0.421   24 -0.400   25 0.4567   17  3.974   25 -0.407   24 -0.394
ROCKETS       41 25 7533 7254  0.019 32.051    6  0.283    7  0.286   10  0.179    8 0.5286   28  3.905   23 -0.177    5  0.535

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         27 40 7755 8054 -0.015 33.414   22 -0.221   22 -0.219   23 -0.325   22 0.4762    4  4.026   19 -0.062   26 -0.589
CAVALIERS     41 26 7978 7680  0.043 33.126    7  0.282    8  0.285    6  0.366    7 0.5289    7  4.011    3  0.551   12  0.181
PACERS        15 52 7439 8020 -0.051 33.342   30 -0.672   30 -0.680   27 -0.604   30 0.4320   15  3.980   27 -0.580   27 -0.629
PISTONS       48 18 7746 7235  0.018 31.485    3  0.514    3  0.521    3  0.542    3 0.5527   22  3.947    6  0.394    3  0.689
BUCKS         27 39 7315 7656 -0.023 32.914   21 -0.213   21 -0.208   25 -0.424   21 0.4779   23  3.943   29 -0.593   21 -0.255

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          38 30 8188 7929  0.017 33.196   13  0.147   14  0.136    9  0.247   13 0.5136    2  4.041    2  0.590   18 -0.096
WIZARDS       16 50 7434 8163 -0.067 32.701   29 -0.661   29 -0.660   30 -0.711   29 0.4357    3  4.029   26 -0.429   30 -0.992
HAWKS         36 31 7888 7814 -0.013 32.394   16  0.079   16  0.071   14  0.102   16 0.5077    6  4.013    8  0.299   17 -0.095
MAGIC         38 28 7635 7528  0.020 32.620   12  0.191   12  0.190   13  0.116   12 0.5183   19  3.961   13  0.040   11  0.191
HORNETS       34 34 7855 7638 -0.004 32.735   18  0.003   19 -0.012    7  0.320   18 0.4991   21  3.950   10  0.187    7  0.453

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
76ERS         36 31 7749 7785 -0.009 32.839   15  0.087   15  0.088   19 -0.102   15 0.5077   16  3.979   21 -0.083   19 -0.121
KNICKS        44 25 8077 7638  0.039 33.787    5  0.330    5  0.331    5  0.467    5 0.5352   20  3.953    7  0.353    4  0.582
RAPTORS       37 29 7494 7388 -0.001 32.137   14  0.144   13  0.137   16  0.080   14 0.5135   25  3.934   22 -0.134   10  0.294
NETS          17 50 7152 7746 -0.001 34.444   27 -0.573   27 -0.569   28 -0.613   27 0.4434   29  3.905   30 -0.973   20 -0.253
CELTICS       44 23 7654 7169  0.010 31.769    4  0.346    4  0.347    4  0.472    4 0.5363   30  3.898   12  0.081    2  0.863

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 186 150 0.554    1  0.133
ATLANTIC DIVISION  178 158 0.530    2  0.090
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 162 173 0.484    3 -0.014
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 157 178 0.469    4 -0.023
PACIFIC DIVISION   164 171 0.490    5 -0.070
CENTRAL DIVISION   158 175 0.474    6 -0.101

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.124 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 Mar 15 05:30:11 2026
games through: Sat Mar 14 2026

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