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       59 13 8589 7689  0.076 35.837    1  0.838    1  0.846    1  0.868    1 0.5782   17  3.957    2  0.842    1  0.894
CAVALIERS     57 14 8680 7942  0.008 33.568    2  0.736    2  0.740    2  0.633    2 0.5696    5  4.032    1  1.001    8  0.264
CELTICS       53 19 8396 7761  0.015 34.673    3  0.559    3  0.556    3  0.559    3 0.5557   23  3.932    5  0.406    2  0.711
ROCKETS       46 26 8173 7853  0.062 36.646    4  0.365    4  0.362    6  0.284    4 0.5361   25  3.917   15  0.060    6  0.507
NUGGETS       45 28 8810 8541  0.028 36.474    5  0.286    5  0.284    9  0.208    5 0.5291    2  4.049    4  0.664   20 -0.249
KNICKS        44 26 8146 7854 -0.031 33.325    6  0.269    6  0.265   12  0.162    6 0.5272   15  3.965   11  0.182   13  0.143
GRIZZLIES     43 28 8672 8303  0.016 34.875    7  0.254    7  0.247    7  0.244    7 0.5249    1  4.069    3  0.807   23 -0.319
LAKERS        43 28 8004 7954 -0.008 35.118    8  0.234    8  0.236   14  0.056    8 0.5232   21  3.942   19 -0.044   12  0.156
WARRIORS      41 30 8048 7877  0.038 35.969    9  0.216    9  0.213   11  0.190    9 0.5204   22  3.942   14  0.090    7  0.291
PACERS        42 29 8278 8177 -0.026 34.512   10  0.188   10  0.185   13  0.138   10 0.5194    6  4.003    7  0.350   16 -0.075
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  41 32 8289 7980  0.059 37.156   11  0.186   11  0.177    4  0.363   11 0.5185   24  3.918   12  0.144    4  0.583
CLIPPERS      40 31 7936 7701  0.041 35.849   12  0.176   12  0.172    5  0.291   12 0.5172   27  3.892   20 -0.060    3  0.643
BUCKS         41 31 8219 8038  0.007 35.556   13  0.160   13  0.158   10  0.208   13 0.5171   16  3.958   10  0.190    9  0.226
PISTONS       40 32 8305 8143 -0.032 34.634   14  0.084   14  0.086    8  0.222   14 0.5106   14  3.974    9  0.284   11  0.159
MAVERICKS     35 37 8288 8297  0.036 36.896   15  0.009   15  0.012   20 -0.107   15 0.4994    9  3.989   17  0.034   19 -0.247
KINGS         35 36 8249 8220  0.006 35.534   16 -0.007   16 -0.008   15 -0.001   16 0.4979   10  3.988   13  0.136   18 -0.138
HAWKS         35 36 8351 8472 -0.026 35.154   17 -0.030   17 -0.027   18 -0.083   17 0.4975    4  4.042    8  0.338   26 -0.504
SUNS          35 37 8251 8326 -0.024 35.525   18 -0.051   18 -0.050   16 -0.042   18 0.4948   12  3.975   18  0.029   17 -0.113
MAGIC         34 38 7560 7641 -0.048 34.992   19 -0.101   19 -0.100   22 -0.156   19 0.4902   30  3.822   28 -0.844    5  0.533
TRAIL BLAZERS 32 40 7989 8216  0.005 36.723   20 -0.121   20 -0.119   17 -0.046   20 0.4876   20  3.943   21 -0.139   15  0.047
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BULLS         32 40 8446 8621 -0.019 35.937   21 -0.142   21 -0.139   19 -0.093   21 0.4862    3  4.049    6  0.363   27 -0.549
SPURS         31 39 8019 8129 -0.023 34.658   22 -0.149   22 -0.147   21 -0.121   22 0.4839    8  3.994   16  0.046   22 -0.288
HEAT          30 41 7751 7855 -0.015 35.367   23 -0.192   23 -0.191   23 -0.172   23 0.4811   28  3.885   26 -0.555   10  0.210
RAPTORS       25 47 7948 8331 -0.013 36.741   24 -0.369   24 -0.366   24 -0.357   24 0.4650   19  3.948   23 -0.429   21 -0.286
NETS          23 49 7582 8031 -0.014 36.835   25 -0.425   25 -0.419   26 -0.415   25 0.4586   29  3.867   29 -0.888   14  0.058
76ERS         23 49 7918 8324 -0.018 36.577   26 -0.430   26 -0.427   25 -0.406   26 0.4576   18  3.948   25 -0.477   25 -0.334
PELICANS      20 53 8071 8702  0.005 38.178   27 -0.527   27 -0.527   28 -0.517   27 0.4488   13  3.974   24 -0.452   28 -0.582
HORNETS       18 53 7513 8094 -0.059 35.499   28 -0.621   28 -0.624   29 -0.649   28 0.4394   26  3.899   30 -0.964   24 -0.333
JAZZ          16 56 8063 8624 -0.015 36.963   29 -0.670   29 -0.675   27 -0.513   29 0.4341    7  3.998   22 -0.326   29 -0.701
WIZARDS       15 56 7710 8558 -0.046 36.393   30 -0.725   30 -0.725   30 -0.753   30 0.4314   11  3.978   27 -0.667   30 -0.840
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING

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        43 28 8004 7954 -0.008 35.118    8  0.234    8  0.236   14  0.056    8 0.5232   21  3.942   19 -0.044   12  0.156
WARRIORS      41 30 8048 7877  0.038 35.969    9  0.216    9  0.213   11  0.190    9 0.5204   22  3.942   14  0.090    7  0.291
CLIPPERS      40 31 7936 7701  0.041 35.849   12  0.176   12  0.172    5  0.291   12 0.5172   27  3.892   20 -0.060    3  0.643
KINGS         35 36 8249 8220  0.006 35.534   16 -0.007   16 -0.008   15 -0.001   16 0.4979   10  3.988   13  0.136   18 -0.138
SUNS          35 37 8251 8326 -0.024 35.525   18 -0.051   18 -0.050   16 -0.042   18 0.4948   12  3.975   18  0.029   17 -0.113

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       59 13 8589 7689  0.076 35.837    1  0.838    1  0.846    1  0.868    1 0.5782   17  3.957    2  0.842    1  0.894
NUGGETS       45 28 8810 8541  0.028 36.474    5  0.286    5  0.284    9  0.208    5 0.5291    2  4.049    4  0.664   20 -0.249
TIMBERWOLVES  41 32 8289 7980  0.059 37.156   11  0.186   11  0.177    4  0.363   11 0.5185   24  3.918   12  0.144    4  0.583
TRAIL BLAZERS 32 40 7989 8216  0.005 36.723   20 -0.121   20 -0.119   17 -0.046   20 0.4876   20  3.943   21 -0.139   15  0.047
JAZZ          16 56 8063 8624 -0.015 36.963   29 -0.670   29 -0.675   27 -0.513   29 0.4341    7  3.998   22 -0.326   29 -0.701

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
ROCKETS       46 26 8173 7853  0.062 36.646    4  0.365    4  0.362    6  0.284    4 0.5361   25  3.917   15  0.060    6  0.507
GRIZZLIES     43 28 8672 8303  0.016 34.875    7  0.254    7  0.247    7  0.244    7 0.5249    1  4.069    3  0.807   23 -0.319
MAVERICKS     35 37 8288 8297  0.036 36.896   15  0.009   15  0.012   20 -0.107   15 0.4994    9  3.989   17  0.034   19 -0.247
SPURS         31 39 8019 8129 -0.023 34.658   22 -0.149   22 -0.147   21 -0.121   22 0.4839    8  3.994   16  0.046   22 -0.288
PELICANS      20 53 8071 8702  0.005 38.178   27 -0.527   27 -0.527   28 -0.517   27 0.4488   13  3.974   24 -0.452   28 -0.582

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
CAVALIERS     57 14 8680 7942  0.008 33.568    2  0.736    2  0.740    2  0.633    2 0.5696    5  4.032    1  1.001    8  0.264
PACERS        42 29 8278 8177 -0.026 34.512   10  0.188   10  0.185   13  0.138   10 0.5194    6  4.003    7  0.350   16 -0.075
BUCKS         41 31 8219 8038  0.007 35.556   13  0.160   13  0.158   10  0.208   13 0.5171   16  3.958   10  0.190    9  0.226
PISTONS       40 32 8305 8143 -0.032 34.634   14  0.084   14  0.086    8  0.222   14 0.5106   14  3.974    9  0.284   11  0.159
BULLS         32 40 8446 8621 -0.019 35.937   21 -0.142   21 -0.139   19 -0.093   21 0.4862    3  4.049    6  0.363   27 -0.549

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
HAWKS         35 36 8351 8472 -0.026 35.154   17 -0.030   17 -0.027   18 -0.083   17 0.4975    4  4.042    8  0.338   26 -0.504
MAGIC         34 38 7560 7641 -0.048 34.992   19 -0.101   19 -0.100   22 -0.156   19 0.4902   30  3.822   28 -0.844    5  0.533
HEAT          30 41 7751 7855 -0.015 35.367   23 -0.192   23 -0.191   23 -0.172   23 0.4811   28  3.885   26 -0.555   10  0.210
HORNETS       18 53 7513 8094 -0.059 35.499   28 -0.621   28 -0.624   29 -0.649   28 0.4394   26  3.899   30 -0.964   24 -0.333
WIZARDS       15 56 7710 8558 -0.046 36.393   30 -0.725   30 -0.725   30 -0.753   30 0.4314   11  3.978   27 -0.667   30 -0.840

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       53 19 8396 7761  0.015 34.673    3  0.559    3  0.556    3  0.559    3 0.5557   23  3.932    5  0.406    2  0.711
KNICKS        44 26 8146 7854 -0.031 33.325    6  0.269    6  0.265   12  0.162    6 0.5272   15  3.965   11  0.182   13  0.143
RAPTORS       25 47 7948 8331 -0.013 36.741   24 -0.369   24 -0.366   24 -0.357   24 0.4650   19  3.948   23 -0.429   21 -0.286
NETS          23 49 7582 8031 -0.014 36.835   25 -0.425   25 -0.419   26 -0.415   25 0.4586   29  3.867   29 -0.888   14  0.058
76ERS         23 49 7918 8324 -0.018 36.577   26 -0.430   26 -0.427   25 -0.406   26 0.4576   18  3.948   25 -0.477   25 -0.334

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION   212 146 0.592    1  0.184
NORTHWEST DIVISION 193 169 0.533    2  0.167
PACIFIC DIVISION   194 162 0.545    3  0.094
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 175 183 0.489    4  0.012
ATLANTIC DIVISION  168 190 0.469    5 -0.077
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 132 224 0.371    6 -0.386

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Mar 25 05:30:11 2025
games through: Mon Mar 24 2025

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.