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
BULLS         1 7  893 1037 -0.102  4.128   29 -0.462   29 -0.472   30 -0.659   30 0.4200    1  4.092   15  0.053   30 -1.370 P
HEAT          3 6 1044 1103  0.083  4.889   20 -0.159   20 -0.161   21 -0.170   20 0.4690    2  4.049    9  0.307   28 -0.647 P
CAVALIERS     4 4  954  937  0.062  3.991   15  0.024   15  0.037   12  0.130   14 0.5109    3  4.038    3  0.549   24 -0.290 P
SUNS          2 5  797  850  0.224  4.201   19 -0.133   19 -0.133   20 -0.119   17 0.4867    4  4.027   11  0.243   26 -0.480 P
LAKERS        7 2 1096 1025  0.040  4.282    5  0.363    5  0.365    5  0.298    7 0.5462    5  4.023    1  0.640   18 -0.044 P
PELICANS      4 4  973  954 -0.145  3.435   17 -0.075   17 -0.076   18 -0.029   19 0.4784    6  4.010   12  0.242   25 -0.300 P
BUCKS         1 7  880  978 -0.114  4.087   30 -0.475   30 -0.491   28 -0.426   29 0.4231    7  4.004   22 -0.187   29 -0.665 P
RAPTORS       4 4  943  908 -0.032  3.654   16 -0.048   16 -0.047   15  0.093   18 0.4820    8  4.000    8  0.312   20 -0.126 P
KINGS         1 7  874  986  0.249  4.973   25 -0.352   25 -0.341   26 -0.383   26 0.4358    9  3.998   20 -0.175   27 -0.590 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 6 1  853  775  0.106  3.454    4  0.421    4  0.409    3  0.337    3 0.5717   10  3.986    4  0.485   12  0.190 P
TEAM          W L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HAWKS         5 4 1042 1017  0.006  4.294   14  0.054   14  0.055   14  0.094   15 0.5079   11  3.980   13  0.212   16 -0.024 P
WARRIORS      6 3 1060 1017  0.206  4.893    7  0.306    7  0.309    6  0.296    8 0.5430   12  3.973    5  0.376   10  0.216 P
ROCKETS       7 2 1061  968  0.276  5.040    1  0.478    1  0.469    1  0.523    1 0.5789   13  3.966    2  0.565    4  0.481 P
GRIZZLIES     6 2  964  878 -0.091  3.285   11  0.209   10  0.224    7  0.256   12 0.5293   14  3.963   10  0.284    9  0.229 P
SPURS         6 2  935  869  0.096  3.907    6  0.327    6  0.330    4  0.318    6 0.5532   15  3.956    7  0.313    8  0.324 P
PACERS        3 6 1001 1028 -0.157  3.958   23 -0.285   23 -0.279   22 -0.216   23 0.4481   16  3.952   23 -0.243   22 -0.189 P
MAVERICKS     4 4  897  898  0.227  4.590   13  0.076   13  0.083   16  0.084   13 0.5193   17  3.945   16  0.021   13  0.147 P
NUGGETS       4 3  808  803  0.172  3.850   12  0.145   12  0.159   10  0.151   11 0.5310   18  3.945   14  0.086   11  0.215 P
NETS          2 6  853  903 -0.274  3.443   28 -0.419   28 -0.430   27 -0.396   28 0.4282   19  3.929   27 -0.541   23 -0.252 P
MAGIC         2 6  844  920  0.042  4.285   22 -0.268   22 -0.258   23 -0.311   24 0.4426   20  3.928   26 -0.464   21 -0.159 P
TEAM          W L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  6 3 1069  968  0.219  4.650    8  0.294    8  0.293    2  0.523    9 0.5346   21  3.927    6  0.366    1  0.679 P
CLIPPERS      1 7  873  925  0.172  4.615   27 -0.382   27 -0.383   19 -0.112   27 0.4345   22  3.911   25 -0.348   14  0.124 P
JAZZ          1 7  862  952  0.222  4.877   26 -0.375   26 -0.369   25 -0.342   25 0.4367   23  3.908   28 -0.590   19 -0.094 P
PISTONS       6 2  889  814 -0.102  3.326    9  0.249    9  0.239    8  0.256    5 0.5541   24  3.908   17  0.004    3  0.507 P
CELTICS       6 2  914  866 -0.229  2.956   10  0.212   11  0.223   11  0.133   10 0.5314   25  3.901   19 -0.152    6  0.418 P
76ERS         8 1  999  947 -0.127  3.791    2  0.465    2  0.451   13  0.107    4 0.5696   26  3.900   21 -0.183    7  0.396 P
WIZARDS       4 4  871  872 -0.458  2.675   21 -0.210   21 -0.227   24 -0.327   21 0.4583   27  3.898   29 -0.628   17 -0.026 P
THUNDER       6 2  880  870  0.247  4.529    3  0.443    3  0.433    9  0.246    2 0.5749   28  3.895   18 -0.068    2  0.560 P
KNICKS        4 4  880  841 -0.233  3.048   18 -0.102   18 -0.110   17  0.082   16 0.4936   29  3.885   24 -0.283    5  0.448 P
HORNETS       3 6  883  983 -0.275  3.805   24 -0.324   24 -0.323   29 -0.589   22 0.4521   30  3.841   30 -1.167   15 -0.011 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
SUNS          2 5  797  850  0.224  4.201   19 -0.133   19 -0.133   20 -0.119   17 0.4867    4  4.027   11  0.243   26 -0.480 P
LAKERS        7 2 1096 1025  0.040  4.282    5  0.363    5  0.365    5  0.298    7 0.5462    5  4.023    1  0.640   18 -0.044 P
KINGS         1 7  874  986  0.249  4.973   25 -0.352   25 -0.341   26 -0.383   26 0.4358    9  3.998   20 -0.175   27 -0.590 P
WARRIORS      6 3 1060 1017  0.206  4.893    7  0.306    7  0.309    6  0.296    8 0.5430   12  3.973    5  0.376   10  0.216 P
CLIPPERS      1 7  873  925  0.172  4.615   27 -0.382   27 -0.383   19 -0.112   27 0.4345   22  3.911   25 -0.348   14  0.124 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 6 1  853  775  0.106  3.454    4  0.421    4  0.409    3  0.337    3 0.5717   10  3.986    4  0.485   12  0.190 P
NUGGETS       4 3  808  803  0.172  3.850   12  0.145   12  0.159   10  0.151   11 0.5310   18  3.945   14  0.086   11  0.215 P
TIMBERWOLVES  6 3 1069  968  0.219  4.650    8  0.294    8  0.293    2  0.523    9 0.5346   21  3.927    6  0.366    1  0.679 P
JAZZ          1 7  862  952  0.222  4.877   26 -0.375   26 -0.369   25 -0.342   25 0.4367   23  3.908   28 -0.590   19 -0.094 P
THUNDER       6 2  880  870  0.247  4.529    3  0.443    3  0.433    9  0.246    2 0.5749   28  3.895   18 -0.068    2  0.560 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      4 4  973  954 -0.145  3.435   17 -0.075   17 -0.076   18 -0.029   19 0.4784    6  4.010   12  0.242   25 -0.300 P
ROCKETS       7 2 1061  968  0.276  5.040    1  0.478    1  0.469    1  0.523    1 0.5789   13  3.966    2  0.565    4  0.481 P
GRIZZLIES     6 2  964  878 -0.091  3.285   11  0.209   10  0.224    7  0.256   12 0.5293   14  3.963   10  0.284    9  0.229 P
SPURS         6 2  935  869  0.096  3.907    6  0.327    6  0.330    4  0.318    6 0.5532   15  3.956    7  0.313    8  0.324 P
MAVERICKS     4 4  897  898  0.227  4.590   13  0.076   13  0.083   16  0.084   13 0.5193   17  3.945   16  0.021   13  0.147 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 7  893 1037 -0.102  4.128   29 -0.462   29 -0.472   30 -0.659   30 0.4200    1  4.092   15  0.053   30 -1.370 P
CAVALIERS     4 4  954  937  0.062  3.991   15  0.024   15  0.037   12  0.130   14 0.5109    3  4.038    3  0.549   24 -0.290 P
BUCKS         1 7  880  978 -0.114  4.087   30 -0.475   30 -0.491   28 -0.426   29 0.4231    7  4.004   22 -0.187   29 -0.665 P
PACERS        3 6 1001 1028 -0.157  3.958   23 -0.285   23 -0.279   22 -0.216   23 0.4481   16  3.952   23 -0.243   22 -0.189 P
PISTONS       6 2  889  814 -0.102  3.326    9  0.249    9  0.239    8  0.256    5 0.5541   24  3.908   17  0.004    3  0.507 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          3 6 1044 1103  0.083  4.889   20 -0.159   20 -0.161   21 -0.170   20 0.4690    2  4.049    9  0.307   28 -0.647 P
HAWKS         5 4 1042 1017  0.006  4.294   14  0.054   14  0.055   14  0.094   15 0.5079   11  3.980   13  0.212   16 -0.024 P
MAGIC         2 6  844  920  0.042  4.285   22 -0.268   22 -0.258   23 -0.311   24 0.4426   20  3.928   26 -0.464   21 -0.159 P
WIZARDS       4 4  871  872 -0.458  2.675   21 -0.210   21 -0.227   24 -0.327   21 0.4583   27  3.898   29 -0.628   17 -0.026 P
HORNETS       3 6  883  983 -0.275  3.805   24 -0.324   24 -0.323   29 -0.589   22 0.4521   30  3.841   30 -1.167   15 -0.011 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 4  943  908 -0.032  3.654   16 -0.048   16 -0.047   15  0.093   18 0.4820    8  4.000    8  0.312   20 -0.126 P
NETS          2 6  853  903 -0.274  3.443   28 -0.419   28 -0.430   27 -0.396   28 0.4282   19  3.929   27 -0.541   23 -0.252 P
CELTICS       6 2  914  866 -0.229  2.956   10  0.212   11  0.223   11  0.133   10 0.5314   25  3.901   19 -0.152    6  0.418 P
76ERS         8 1  999  947 -0.127  3.791    2  0.465    2  0.451   13  0.107    4 0.5696   26  3.900   21 -0.183    7  0.396 P
KNICKS        4 4  880  841 -0.233  3.048   18 -0.102   18 -0.110   17  0.082   16 0.4936   29  3.885   24 -0.283    5  0.448 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 27 14 0.659    1  0.382
NORTHWEST DIVISION 23 16 0.590    2  0.322
ATLANTIC DIVISION  24 17 0.585    3  0.017
PACIFIC DIVISION   17 24 0.415    4 -0.012
CENTRAL DIVISION   15 26 0.366    5 -0.293
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 17 26 0.395    6 -0.407

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.183 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: Fri Nov  6 05:30:17 2026
games through: Thu Nov  5 2026

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