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 4 570 651 -0.195  2.441   26 -0.248   26 -0.270   30 -0.439   27 0.4292    1  4.076    9  0.135   30 -1.014 P
LAKERS        4 1 616 568  0.073  2.474    4  0.267    4  0.238    3  0.249    5 0.5483    2  4.039    1  0.625   19 -0.126 P
WARRIORS      2 3 588 597  0.363  3.168   14  0.026   14  0.045   12  0.105   14 0.5132    3  4.037    3  0.470   22 -0.260 P
KINGS         0 5 551 634  0.065  2.833   29 -0.382   29 -0.364   29 -0.400   28 0.4047    4  4.036   15 -0.039   29 -0.761 P
HEAT          1 4 565 604  0.130  2.814   23 -0.170   23 -0.172   19 -0.102   22 0.4629    5  4.036    6  0.259   25 -0.463 P
PELICANS      1 4 597 608 -0.350  1.845   28 -0.316   28 -0.336   23 -0.219   29 0.3997    6  4.030   10  0.113   26 -0.551 P
NETS          0 4 457 496 -0.197  1.872   30 -0.396   30 -0.389   28 -0.331   30 0.3970    7  4.019   17 -0.059   28 -0.603 P
BUCKS         1 4 567 621 -0.286  2.152   27 -0.292   27 -0.304   27 -0.326   26 0.4361    8  4.017   18 -0.063   27 -0.588 P
HAWKS         3 3 715 687  0.155  3.166   15  0.012   15  0.025    9  0.164   13 0.5197    9  4.009    4  0.384   16 -0.056 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 3 1 491 456  0.023  1.905    8  0.144    7  0.148   13  0.102    7 0.5458   10  4.001    5  0.281   17 -0.078 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          1 2 328 371  0.266  1.896   18 -0.029   18 -0.024   21 -0.152   16 0.5056   11  3.988   16 -0.042   23 -0.262 P
CAVALIERS     3 2 590 585  0.010  2.421   13  0.075   13  0.098   14  0.074   15 0.5124   12  3.983    8  0.159   15 -0.012 P
WIZARDS       2 3 568 579 -0.314  2.005   24 -0.185   24 -0.194   26 -0.298   23 0.4530   13  3.982   26 -0.218   24 -0.379 P
ROCKETS       5 0 615 544  0.280  2.787    1  0.444    1  0.450    1  0.425    1 0.6088   14  3.980    2  0.494   10  0.357 P
MAGIC         1 3 428 478  0.331  2.615   19 -0.075   19 -0.074   22 -0.153   21 0.4636   15  3.979   19 -0.090   20 -0.216 P
JAZZ          1 4 562 601  0.069  2.777   25 -0.216   25 -0.222   24 -0.228   25 0.4462   16  3.971   25 -0.206   21 -0.250 P
PACERS        2 3 575 574 -0.244  1.978   22 -0.152   22 -0.157   20 -0.120   24 0.4520   17  3.968   22 -0.116   18 -0.125 P
MAVERICKS     3 2 570 560  0.271  2.964    9  0.136    8  0.140   11  0.115    8 0.5385   18  3.961   12  0.088   14  0.142 P
CELTICS       3 1 479 447 -0.208  1.456    7  0.145    9  0.134    7  0.198    9 0.5302   19  3.947   11  0.099   11  0.297 P
SPURS         3 2 583 550  0.114  2.546   12  0.078   12  0.103    8  0.189   10 0.5291   20  3.933   13  0.016    9  0.362 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  3 2 602 539  0.183  2.649   10  0.125   10  0.124    2  0.384   11 0.5225   21  3.927    7  0.182    1  0.587 P
GRIZZLIES     5 0 591 531 -0.012  2.246    2  0.363    2  0.357    6  0.217    2 0.5794   22  3.922   14 -0.008    6  0.442 P
KNICKS        2 3 549 548 -0.092  2.231   20 -0.090   20 -0.089   16  0.041   18 0.4897   23  3.919   24 -0.200   13  0.281 P
76ERS         4 1 554 537 -0.072  2.280    6  0.195    6  0.202   17  0.024    6 0.5463   24  3.916   27 -0.236   12  0.284 P
RAPTORS       3 1 470 410 -0.055  1.614   11  0.092   11  0.116    5  0.222   12 0.5201   25  3.903   20 -0.100    4  0.545 P
PISTONS       4 1 549 517  0.047  2.453    5  0.262    5  0.236   10  0.154    4 0.5651   26  3.902   23 -0.173    5  0.481 P
THUNDER       4 1 541 523  0.099  2.506    3  0.304    3  0.284    4  0.227    3 0.5718   27  3.901   21 -0.106    2  0.560 P
NUGGETS       2 2 443 456 -0.050  1.886   16  0.003   17  0.007   18 -0.009   19 0.4862   28  3.891   28 -0.389    8  0.372 P
CLIPPERS      1 3 426 432  0.187  2.265   21 -0.120   21 -0.113   15  0.043   20 0.4720   29  3.865   29 -0.469    3  0.555 P
HORNETS       3 2 505 541 -0.264  2.107   17 -0.000   16  0.008   25 -0.295   17 0.4959   30  3.832   30 -0.965    7  0.376 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        4 1 616 568  0.073  2.474    4  0.267    4  0.238    3  0.249    5 0.5483    2  4.039    1  0.625   19 -0.126 P
WARRIORS      2 3 588 597  0.363  3.168   14  0.026   14  0.045   12  0.105   14 0.5132    3  4.037    3  0.470   22 -0.260 P
KINGS         0 5 551 634  0.065  2.833   29 -0.382   29 -0.364   29 -0.400   28 0.4047    4  4.036   15 -0.039   29 -0.761 P
SUNS          1 2 328 371  0.266  1.896   18 -0.029   18 -0.024   21 -0.152   16 0.5056   11  3.988   16 -0.042   23 -0.262 P
CLIPPERS      1 3 426 432  0.187  2.265   21 -0.120   21 -0.113   15  0.043   20 0.4720   29  3.865   29 -0.469    3  0.555 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 3 1 491 456  0.023  1.905    8  0.144    7  0.148   13  0.102    7 0.5458   10  4.001    5  0.281   17 -0.078 P
JAZZ          1 4 562 601  0.069  2.777   25 -0.216   25 -0.222   24 -0.228   25 0.4462   16  3.971   25 -0.206   21 -0.250 P
TIMBERWOLVES  3 2 602 539  0.183  2.649   10  0.125   10  0.124    2  0.384   11 0.5225   21  3.927    7  0.182    1  0.587 P
THUNDER       4 1 541 523  0.099  2.506    3  0.304    3  0.284    4  0.227    3 0.5718   27  3.901   21 -0.106    2  0.560 P
NUGGETS       2 2 443 456 -0.050  1.886   16  0.003   17  0.007   18 -0.009   19 0.4862   28  3.891   28 -0.389    8  0.372 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      1 4 597 608 -0.350  1.845   28 -0.316   28 -0.336   23 -0.219   29 0.3997    6  4.030   10  0.113   26 -0.551 P
ROCKETS       5 0 615 544  0.280  2.787    1  0.444    1  0.450    1  0.425    1 0.6088   14  3.980    2  0.494   10  0.357 P
MAVERICKS     3 2 570 560  0.271  2.964    9  0.136    8  0.140   11  0.115    8 0.5385   18  3.961   12  0.088   14  0.142 P
SPURS         3 2 583 550  0.114  2.546   12  0.078   12  0.103    8  0.189   10 0.5291   20  3.933   13  0.016    9  0.362 P
GRIZZLIES     5 0 591 531 -0.012  2.246    2  0.363    2  0.357    6  0.217    2 0.5794   22  3.922   14 -0.008    6  0.442 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 4 570 651 -0.195  2.441   26 -0.248   26 -0.270   30 -0.439   27 0.4292    1  4.076    9  0.135   30 -1.014 P
BUCKS         1 4 567 621 -0.286  2.152   27 -0.292   27 -0.304   27 -0.326   26 0.4361    8  4.017   18 -0.063   27 -0.588 P
CAVALIERS     3 2 590 585  0.010  2.421   13  0.075   13  0.098   14  0.074   15 0.5124   12  3.983    8  0.159   15 -0.012 P
PACERS        2 3 575 574 -0.244  1.978   22 -0.152   22 -0.157   20 -0.120   24 0.4520   17  3.968   22 -0.116   18 -0.125 P
PISTONS       4 1 549 517  0.047  2.453    5  0.262    5  0.236   10  0.154    4 0.5651   26  3.902   23 -0.173    5  0.481 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          1 4 565 604  0.130  2.814   23 -0.170   23 -0.172   19 -0.102   22 0.4629    5  4.036    6  0.259   25 -0.463 P
HAWKS         3 3 715 687  0.155  3.166   15  0.012   15  0.025    9  0.164   13 0.5197    9  4.009    4  0.384   16 -0.056 P
WIZARDS       2 3 568 579 -0.314  2.005   24 -0.185   24 -0.194   26 -0.298   23 0.4530   13  3.982   26 -0.218   24 -0.379 P
MAGIC         1 3 428 478  0.331  2.615   19 -0.075   19 -0.074   22 -0.153   21 0.4636   15  3.979   19 -0.090   20 -0.216 P
HORNETS       3 2 505 541 -0.264  2.107   17 -0.000   16  0.008   25 -0.295   17 0.4959   30  3.832   30 -0.965    7  0.376 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 4 457 496 -0.197  1.872   30 -0.396   30 -0.389   28 -0.331   30 0.3970    7  4.019   17 -0.059   28 -0.603 P
CELTICS       3 1 479 447 -0.208  1.456    7  0.145    9  0.134    7  0.198    9 0.5302   19  3.947   11  0.099   11  0.297 P
KNICKS        2 3 549 548 -0.092  2.231   20 -0.090   20 -0.089   16  0.041   18 0.4897   23  3.919   24 -0.200   13  0.281 P
76ERS         4 1 554 537 -0.072  2.280    6  0.195    6  0.202   17  0.024    6 0.5463   24  3.916   27 -0.236   12  0.284 P
RAPTORS       3 1 470 410 -0.055  1.614   11  0.092   11  0.116    5  0.222   12 0.5201   25  3.903   20 -0.100    4  0.545 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 17  8 0.680    1  0.310
NORTHWEST DIVISION 13 10 0.565    2  0.212
ATLANTIC DIVISION  12 10 0.545    3  0.081
PACIFIC DIVISION    8 14 0.364    4 -0.058
CENTRAL DIVISION   11 14 0.440    5 -0.257
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 10 15 0.400    6 -0.270

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Oct 30 05:30:18 2026
games through: Thu Oct 29 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.