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
THUNDER       50 15 7711 6993  0.045 31.304    1  0.656    1  0.662    1  0.667    1 0.5652   26  3.926    4  0.417    1  0.918
SPURS         47 18 7704 7260  0.083 32.604    2  0.566    2  0.581    2  0.553    2 0.5577   15  3.983    1  0.598    6  0.509
PISTONS       45 18 7351 6916  0.027 30.370    3  0.485    3  0.493    5  0.467    3 0.5508   23  3.942    7  0.300    3  0.635
CELTICS       43 21 7325 6840 -0.009 29.972    4  0.367    4  0.366    3  0.491    4 0.5387   30  3.900   12  0.111    2  0.871
KNICKS        42 24 7724 7303  0.049 32.566    5  0.336    5  0.333    4  0.485    5 0.5359   21  3.954    6  0.380    4  0.589
CAVALIERS     39 25 7603 7346  0.043 31.726    6  0.279    6  0.280    7  0.320    6 0.5284    8  4.010    3  0.506   12  0.134
ROCKETS       39 24 7220 6921  0.019 30.466    7  0.276    7  0.275    9  0.229    7 0.5279   28  3.910   21 -0.102    5  0.559
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.031 30.025    8  0.250    8  0.247   10  0.201    8 0.5253   11  3.993    8  0.294   14  0.109
LAKERS        39 25 7416 7362 -0.013 31.004   10  0.242    9  0.244   17  0.056    9 0.5249   12  3.991   11  0.139   15 -0.027
NUGGETS       39 25 7691 7453 -0.001 30.793    9  0.242   10  0.238   11  0.164   10 0.5241    6  4.018    5  0.389   16 -0.060
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          37 27 7173 7104  0.015 31.597   11  0.202   11  0.195   18  0.033   11 0.5194   27  3.912   24 -0.287    9  0.353
RAPTORS       36 27 7162 7038  0.001 30.639   12  0.170   12  0.162   13  0.120   12 0.5161   24  3.931   22 -0.104   10  0.343
MAGIC         35 28 7250 7158  0.024 31.248   14  0.150   13  0.145   14  0.107   13 0.5141   19  3.958   14  0.019   11  0.195
HEAT          36 29 7809 7574  0.036 32.206   13  0.151   14  0.139    8  0.260   14 0.5138    2  4.039    2  0.597   17 -0.076
76ERS         34 29 7296 7313 -0.008 30.825   15  0.093   15  0.092   19 -0.077   15 0.5086   16  3.978   19 -0.058   18 -0.097
WARRIORS      32 31 7248 7176  0.039 31.650   16  0.056   16  0.049   15  0.079   16 0.5051   18  3.964   13  0.025   13  0.134
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.569   17  0.048   17  0.041   16  0.066   17 0.5047    5  4.018    9  0.292   19 -0.160
CLIPPERS      31 32 7093 7071  0.033 31.627   18  0.020   18  0.011   12  0.128   18 0.5005   25  3.928   23 -0.112    8  0.367
TRAIL BLAZERS 31 34 7497 7669  0.048 33.504   19  0.003   19 -0.001   20 -0.145   19 0.4990    9  4.004   15  0.010   22 -0.300
HORNETS       32 33 7533 7313 -0.007 31.187   20 -0.020   20 -0.032    6  0.348   20 0.4966   20  3.955   10  0.249    7  0.448
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         27 36 6997 7293 -0.030 31.186   21 -0.184   21 -0.170   25 -0.387   21 0.4819   22  3.943   28 -0.548   20 -0.226
BULLS         26 38 7387 7669 -0.027 31.638   22 -0.231   22 -0.221   23 -0.335   22 0.4758    4  4.022   20 -0.087   26 -0.584
GRIZZLIES     23 39 7171 7305 -0.039 29.968   23 -0.338   23 -0.335   21 -0.189   23 0.4662   10  4.002   18 -0.048   23 -0.330
MAVERICKS     21 43 7230 7534 -0.040 31.462   24 -0.429   24 -0.423   24 -0.370   24 0.4565   17  3.974   25 -0.375   24 -0.365
PELICANS      21 45 7623 7931 -0.032 32.437   25 -0.450   25 -0.447   22 -0.239   25 0.4556    7  4.012   17 -0.047   25 -0.430
JAZZ          19 45 7513 8003 -0.026 32.117   26 -0.478   26 -0.470   26 -0.492   26 0.4509    1  4.069   16  0.005   29 -0.990
NETS          16 47 6732 7281 -0.004 32.312   27 -0.565   27 -0.565   28 -0.603   27 0.4432   29  3.907   30 -0.947   21 -0.258
KINGS         15 50 7190 7873 -0.006 33.443   28 -0.622   28 -0.626   29 -0.666   28 0.4391   14  3.984   29 -0.618   28 -0.714
WIZARDS       16 47 7074 7766 -0.085 30.734   30 -0.641   29 -0.638   30 -0.734   29 0.4368    3  4.026   26 -0.466   30 -1.002
PACERS        15 49 7130 7682 -0.045 31.960   29 -0.634   30 -0.642   27 -0.590   30 0.4350   13  3.986   27 -0.533   27 -0.646

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        39 25 7416 7362 -0.013 31.004   10  0.242    9  0.244   17  0.056    9 0.5249   12  3.991   11  0.139   15 -0.027
SUNS          37 27 7173 7104  0.015 31.597   11  0.202   11  0.195   18  0.033   11 0.5194   27  3.912   24 -0.287    9  0.353
WARRIORS      32 31 7248 7176  0.039 31.650   16  0.056   16  0.049   15  0.079   16 0.5051   18  3.964   13  0.025   13  0.134
CLIPPERS      31 32 7093 7071  0.033 31.627   18  0.020   18  0.011   12  0.128   18 0.5005   25  3.928   23 -0.112    8  0.367
KINGS         15 50 7190 7873 -0.006 33.443   28 -0.622   28 -0.626   29 -0.666   28 0.4391   14  3.984   29 -0.618   28 -0.714

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
THUNDER       50 15 7711 6993  0.045 31.304    1  0.656    1  0.662    1  0.667    1 0.5652   26  3.926    4  0.417    1  0.918
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.031 30.025    8  0.250    8  0.247   10  0.201    8 0.5253   11  3.993    8  0.294   14  0.109
NUGGETS       39 25 7691 7453 -0.001 30.793    9  0.242   10  0.238   11  0.164   10 0.5241    6  4.018    5  0.389   16 -0.060
TRAIL BLAZERS 31 34 7497 7669  0.048 33.504   19  0.003   19 -0.001   20 -0.145   19 0.4990    9  4.004   15  0.010   22 -0.300
JAZZ          19 45 7513 8003 -0.026 32.117   26 -0.478   26 -0.470   26 -0.492   26 0.4509    1  4.069   16  0.005   29 -0.990

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
SPURS         47 18 7704 7260  0.083 32.604    2  0.566    2  0.581    2  0.553    2 0.5577   15  3.983    1  0.598    6  0.509
ROCKETS       39 24 7220 6921  0.019 30.466    7  0.276    7  0.275    9  0.229    7 0.5279   28  3.910   21 -0.102    5  0.559
GRIZZLIES     23 39 7171 7305 -0.039 29.968   23 -0.338   23 -0.335   21 -0.189   23 0.4662   10  4.002   18 -0.048   23 -0.330
MAVERICKS     21 43 7230 7534 -0.040 31.462   24 -0.429   24 -0.423   24 -0.370   24 0.4565   17  3.974   25 -0.375   24 -0.365
PELICANS      21 45 7623 7931 -0.032 32.437   25 -0.450   25 -0.447   22 -0.239   25 0.4556    7  4.012   17 -0.047   25 -0.430

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
PISTONS       45 18 7351 6916  0.027 30.370    3  0.485    3  0.493    5  0.467    3 0.5508   23  3.942    7  0.300    3  0.635
CAVALIERS     39 25 7603 7346  0.043 31.726    6  0.279    6  0.280    7  0.320    6 0.5284    8  4.010    3  0.506   12  0.134
BUCKS         27 36 6997 7293 -0.030 31.186   21 -0.184   21 -0.170   25 -0.387   21 0.4819   22  3.943   28 -0.548   20 -0.226
BULLS         26 38 7387 7669 -0.027 31.638   22 -0.231   22 -0.221   23 -0.335   22 0.4758    4  4.022   20 -0.087   26 -0.584
PACERS        15 49 7130 7682 -0.045 31.960   29 -0.634   30 -0.642   27 -0.590   30 0.4350   13  3.986   27 -0.533   27 -0.646

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
MAGIC         35 28 7250 7158  0.024 31.248   14  0.150   13  0.145   14  0.107   13 0.5141   19  3.958   14  0.019   11  0.195
HEAT          36 29 7809 7574  0.036 32.206   13  0.151   14  0.139    8  0.260   14 0.5138    2  4.039    2  0.597   17 -0.076
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.569   17  0.048   17  0.041   16  0.066   17 0.5047    5  4.018    9  0.292   19 -0.160
HORNETS       32 33 7533 7313 -0.007 31.187   20 -0.020   20 -0.032    6  0.348   20 0.4966   20  3.955   10  0.249    7  0.448
WIZARDS       16 47 7074 7766 -0.085 30.734   30 -0.641   29 -0.638   30 -0.734   29 0.4368    3  4.026   26 -0.466   30 -1.002

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       43 21 7325 6840 -0.009 29.972    4  0.367    4  0.366    3  0.491    4 0.5387   30  3.900   12  0.111    2  0.871
KNICKS        42 24 7724 7303  0.049 32.566    5  0.336    5  0.333    4  0.485    5 0.5359   21  3.954    6  0.380    4  0.589
RAPTORS       36 27 7162 7038  0.001 30.639   12  0.170   12  0.162   13  0.120   12 0.5161   24  3.931   22 -0.104   10  0.343
76ERS         34 29 7296 7313 -0.008 30.825   15  0.093   15  0.092   19 -0.077   15 0.5086   16  3.978   19 -0.058   18 -0.097
NETS          16 47 6732 7281 -0.004 32.312   27 -0.565   27 -0.565   28 -0.603   27 0.4432   29  3.907   30 -0.947   21 -0.258

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 179 143 0.556    1  0.129
ATLANTIC DIVISION  171 148 0.536    2  0.106
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 151 169 0.472    3 -0.009
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 152 168 0.475    4 -0.019
PACIFIC DIVISION   154 165 0.483    5 -0.081
CENTRAL DIVISION   152 166 0.478    6 -0.110

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Mar  9 05:30:11 2026
games through: Sun Mar  8 2026

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