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
HEAT          2 5 827 867  0.010  3.629   22 -0.187   22 -0.212   20 -0.141   22 0.4583    1  4.085    3  0.528   29 -0.810 P
BULLS         1 6 788 902 -0.087  3.673   27 -0.392   27 -0.394   30 -0.537   27 0.4269    2  4.083   13  0.122   30 -1.196 P
LAKERS        6 2 980 922  0.076  4.004    7  0.266    7  0.307    7  0.268    8 0.5451    3  4.031    1  0.648   19 -0.112 P
CAVALIERS     4 3 838 813 -0.042  3.229   13  0.059   13  0.068   12  0.122   14 0.5100    4  4.029    4  0.488   23 -0.244 P
PELICANS      3 4 853 841 -0.141  3.076   19 -0.122   19 -0.140   18 -0.048   20 0.4680    5  4.022   10  0.283   25 -0.378 P
SUNS          1 4 561 614  0.281  3.165   20 -0.140   20 -0.156   21 -0.148   18 0.4807    6  4.022   12  0.182   26 -0.478 P
BUCKS         1 6 778 869 -0.177  3.465   29 -0.413   29 -0.430   28 -0.432   28 0.4209    7  4.019   20 -0.119   28 -0.745 P
KINGS         1 6 771 870  0.266  4.460   25 -0.298   25 -0.275   26 -0.342   25 0.4476    8  4.013   18 -0.057   27 -0.627 P
RAPTORS       4 3 834 780 -0.013  3.172   15  0.028   15  0.031   11  0.184   16 0.4942    9  3.989    7  0.340   17  0.028 P
WARRIORS      5 3 940 917  0.223  4.516    9  0.205    9  0.239    8  0.217    9 0.5382   10  3.987    6  0.365   16  0.068 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HAWKS         4 4 922 912  0.042  4.014   16  0.001   16  0.001   13  0.051   15 0.4991   11  3.972   14  0.122   18 -0.020 P
GRIZZLIES     6 1 861 771 -0.043  2.986    5  0.336    4  0.327    4  0.307    5 0.5590   12  3.970    5  0.370    9  0.245 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 5 1 721 656  0.093  2.974    6  0.298    6  0.321    6  0.273    3 0.5680   13  3.967    8  0.316   10  0.230 P
ROCKETS       7 1 954 851  0.216  4.288    1  0.562    1  0.502    1  0.538    1 0.5970   14  3.965    2  0.572    4  0.504 P
PACERS        2 6 894 925 -0.293  3.149   28 -0.403   28 -0.412   24 -0.303   29 0.4155   15  3.962   24 -0.284   24 -0.322 P
SPURS         5 2 823 758  0.095  3.425    8  0.211    8  0.246    3  0.317    7 0.5475   16  3.955    9  0.303    8  0.332 P
MAVERICKS     4 3 786 786  0.155  3.866   12  0.100   12  0.120   14  0.045   11 0.5274   17  3.940   17 -0.048   12  0.138 P
MAGIC         2 5 740 803  0.111  3.970   21 -0.151   21 -0.164   22 -0.233   23 0.4523   18  3.940   25 -0.328   21 -0.139 P
NUGGETS       3 3 680 694  0.122  3.262   14  0.044   14  0.057   16  0.037   12 0.5172   19  3.935   19 -0.081   11  0.155 P
CLIPPERS      1 6 757 808  0.268  4.333   24 -0.260   24 -0.275   19 -0.084   26 0.4475   20  3.928   22 -0.236   15  0.068 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JAZZ          1 6 749 832  0.243  4.405   26 -0.316   26 -0.297   25 -0.327   24 0.4487   21  3.921   27 -0.515   20 -0.138 P
NETS          1 6 739 799 -0.188  3.314   30 -0.447   30 -0.465   27 -0.402   30 0.4074   22  3.920   29 -0.596   22 -0.208 P
TIMBERWOLVES  5 3 952 861  0.116  3.942   11  0.144   11  0.167    2  0.438   13 0.5156   23  3.918   11  0.235    1  0.641 P
CELTICS       5 2 805 764 -0.093  2.908   10  0.176   10  0.200   10  0.188   10 0.5342   24  3.918   16 -0.018    6  0.394 P
PISTONS       6 1 783 702 -0.101  2.903    3  0.379    5  0.323    5  0.299    4 0.5663   25  3.900   15  0.007    2  0.591 P
76ERS         7 1 887 841 -0.249  3.066    4  0.344    3  0.332   15  0.038    6 0.5532   26  3.898   23 -0.265    7  0.341 P
WIZARDS       4 3 766 752 -0.431  2.404   18 -0.106   18 -0.125   23 -0.239   19 0.4757   27  3.896   28 -0.553   14  0.075 P
THUNDER       5 2 756 754  0.249  3.993    2  0.394    2  0.349    9  0.209    2 0.5707   28  3.883   21 -0.167    3  0.586 P
KNICKS        3 4 745 736 -0.130  3.044   17 -0.104   17 -0.121   17  0.034   17 0.4867   29  3.878   26 -0.371    5  0.438 P
HORNETS       3 5 779 869 -0.220  3.613   23 -0.207   23 -0.218   29 -0.520   21 0.4670   30  3.833   30 -1.142   13  0.103 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        6 2 980 922  0.076  4.004    7  0.266    7  0.307    7  0.268    8 0.5451    3  4.031    1  0.648   19 -0.112 P
SUNS          1 4 561 614  0.281  3.165   20 -0.140   20 -0.156   21 -0.148   18 0.4807    6  4.022   12  0.182   26 -0.478 P
KINGS         1 6 771 870  0.266  4.460   25 -0.298   25 -0.275   26 -0.342   25 0.4476    8  4.013   18 -0.057   27 -0.627 P
WARRIORS      5 3 940 917  0.223  4.516    9  0.205    9  0.239    8  0.217    9 0.5382   10  3.987    6  0.365   16  0.068 P
CLIPPERS      1 6 757 808  0.268  4.333   24 -0.260   24 -0.275   19 -0.084   26 0.4475   20  3.928   22 -0.236   15  0.068 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
TRAIL BLAZERS 5 1 721 656  0.093  2.974    6  0.298    6  0.321    6  0.273    3 0.5680   13  3.967    8  0.316   10  0.230 P
NUGGETS       3 3 680 694  0.122  3.262   14  0.044   14  0.057   16  0.037   12 0.5172   19  3.935   19 -0.081   11  0.155 P
JAZZ          1 6 749 832  0.243  4.405   26 -0.316   26 -0.297   25 -0.327   24 0.4487   21  3.921   27 -0.515   20 -0.138 P
TIMBERWOLVES  5 3 952 861  0.116  3.942   11  0.144   11  0.167    2  0.438   13 0.5156   23  3.918   11  0.235    1  0.641 P
THUNDER       5 2 756 754  0.249  3.993    2  0.394    2  0.349    9  0.209    2 0.5707   28  3.883   21 -0.167    3  0.586 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      3 4 853 841 -0.141  3.076   19 -0.122   19 -0.140   18 -0.048   20 0.4680    5  4.022   10  0.283   25 -0.378 P
GRIZZLIES     6 1 861 771 -0.043  2.986    5  0.336    4  0.327    4  0.307    5 0.5590   12  3.970    5  0.370    9  0.245 P
ROCKETS       7 1 954 851  0.216  4.288    1  0.562    1  0.502    1  0.538    1 0.5970   14  3.965    2  0.572    4  0.504 P
SPURS         5 2 823 758  0.095  3.425    8  0.211    8  0.246    3  0.317    7 0.5475   16  3.955    9  0.303    8  0.332 P
MAVERICKS     4 3 786 786  0.155  3.866   12  0.100   12  0.120   14  0.045   11 0.5274   17  3.940   17 -0.048   12  0.138 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 6 788 902 -0.087  3.673   27 -0.392   27 -0.394   30 -0.537   27 0.4269    2  4.083   13  0.122   30 -1.196 P
CAVALIERS     4 3 838 813 -0.042  3.229   13  0.059   13  0.068   12  0.122   14 0.5100    4  4.029    4  0.488   23 -0.244 P
BUCKS         1 6 778 869 -0.177  3.465   29 -0.413   29 -0.430   28 -0.432   28 0.4209    7  4.019   20 -0.119   28 -0.745 P
PACERS        2 6 894 925 -0.293  3.149   28 -0.403   28 -0.412   24 -0.303   29 0.4155   15  3.962   24 -0.284   24 -0.322 P
PISTONS       6 1 783 702 -0.101  2.903    3  0.379    5  0.323    5  0.299    4 0.5663   25  3.900   15  0.007    2  0.591 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          2 5 827 867  0.010  3.629   22 -0.187   22 -0.212   20 -0.141   22 0.4583    1  4.085    3  0.528   29 -0.810 P
HAWKS         4 4 922 912  0.042  4.014   16  0.001   16  0.001   13  0.051   15 0.4991   11  3.972   14  0.122   18 -0.020 P
MAGIC         2 5 740 803  0.111  3.970   21 -0.151   21 -0.164   22 -0.233   23 0.4523   18  3.940   25 -0.328   21 -0.139 P
WIZARDS       4 3 766 752 -0.431  2.404   18 -0.106   18 -0.125   23 -0.239   19 0.4757   27  3.896   28 -0.553   14  0.075 P
HORNETS       3 5 779 869 -0.220  3.613   23 -0.207   23 -0.218   29 -0.520   21 0.4670   30  3.833   30 -1.142   13  0.103 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
RAPTORS       4 3 834 780 -0.013  3.172   15  0.028   15  0.031   11  0.184   16 0.4942    9  3.989    7  0.340   17  0.028 P
NETS          1 6 739 799 -0.188  3.314   30 -0.447   30 -0.465   27 -0.402   30 0.4074   22  3.920   29 -0.596   22 -0.208 P
CELTICS       5 2 805 764 -0.093  2.908   10  0.176   10  0.200   10  0.188   10 0.5342   24  3.918   16 -0.018    6  0.394 P
76ERS         7 1 887 841 -0.249  3.066    4  0.344    3  0.332   15  0.038    6 0.5532   26  3.898   23 -0.265    7  0.341 P
KNICKS        3 4 745 736 -0.130  3.044   17 -0.104   17 -0.121   17  0.034   17 0.4867   29  3.878   26 -0.371    5  0.438 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 25 11 0.694    1  0.404
NORTHWEST DIVISION 19 15 0.559    2  0.242
ATLANTIC DIVISION  20 16 0.556    3  0.030
PACIFIC DIVISION   14 21 0.400    4 -0.040
CENTRAL DIVISION   14 22 0.389    5 -0.297
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 15 22 0.405    6 -0.354

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Nov  3 05:30:11 2026
games through: Mon Nov  2 2026

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