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       26  5 3760 3328 -0.011 14.293    1  0.702    1  0.686    1  0.743    1 0.5750   29  3.933    3  0.472    1  1.014
ROCKETS       19 10 3490 3240  0.112 14.892    6  0.359    6  0.349    2  0.514    6 0.5427   25  3.947    6  0.315    2  0.713
CELTICS       19 11 3504 3311  0.009 14.636    8  0.251    8  0.246    6  0.357    8 0.5313   22  3.954    9  0.193    3  0.522
WARRIORS      16 15 3551 3484  0.073 16.143   13  0.073   13  0.075    8  0.205   13 0.5088   26  3.938   19 -0.040    4  0.451
SPURS         23  9 3836 3647  0.091 16.406    2  0.503    2  0.504    4  0.404    2 0.5582   12  3.994    4  0.446    5  0.362
PISTONS       24  7 3704 3500 -0.091 13.969    3  0.484    3  0.483    7  0.295    3 0.5558   17  3.976    7  0.246    6  0.344
SUNS          18 13 3569 3524  0.059 16.046   11  0.200   11  0.199   12  0.139   11 0.5237   21  3.955   18 -0.019    7  0.296
KNICKS        23  9 3860 3637 -0.016 15.370    4  0.423    4  0.421    5  0.373    4 0.5475   11  4.006    2  0.480    8  0.266
MAGIC         18 14 3747 3691  0.130 17.458   10  0.214   10  0.214   10  0.178   10 0.5251   18  3.970   12  0.097    9  0.258
TIMBERWOLVES  20 12 3800 3669 -0.030 15.255    9  0.222    9  0.220    9  0.194    9 0.5260   14  3.978   11  0.154   10  0.235
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       18 14 3633 3599 -0.081 15.043   14  0.058   14  0.059   16 -0.052   14 0.5046   27  3.936   23 -0.304   11  0.201
CLIPPERS       9 21 3345 3459  0.110 16.599   24 -0.318   24 -0.315   18 -0.076   24 0.4621   28  3.933   24 -0.345   12  0.194
NETS          10 19 3183 3297 -0.046 14.396   25 -0.325   25 -0.324   19 -0.147   26 0.4607   30  3.921   29 -0.474   13  0.181
GRIZZLIES     15 16 3576 3591  0.008 15.719   17 -0.038   17 -0.036   13  0.028   16 0.4960   16  3.977   17 -0.016   14  0.071
76ERS         16 13 3366 3340 -0.098 13.451   15  0.030   15  0.033   15 -0.047   15 0.5035   19  3.964   20 -0.155   15  0.062
NUGGETS       22  9 3900 3644  0.014 14.961    5  0.398    5  0.397    3  0.431    5 0.5447    2  4.066    1  0.856   16  0.007
MAVERICKS     12 21 3745 3877 -0.030 16.732   23 -0.293   23 -0.283   23 -0.208   23 0.4652   23  3.951   26 -0.387   17 -0.030
HEAT          17 15 3845 3756  0.044 16.365   12  0.081   12  0.081   11  0.139   12 0.5094    5  4.033    5  0.386   18 -0.108
BUCKS         13 19 3607 3713 -0.094 15.292   22 -0.255   22 -0.248   25 -0.279   22 0.4720   20  3.955   27 -0.435   19 -0.123
HORNETS       11 20 3583 3670 -0.073 15.018   26 -0.337   26 -0.339   22 -0.187   25 0.4610   13  3.981   22 -0.212   20 -0.163
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        19 10 3391 3406  0.021 14.851    7  0.315    7  0.325   17 -0.063    7 0.5412   10  4.008   14  0.054   21 -0.179
CAVALIERS     17 16 3945 3885 -0.080 15.450   16 -0.033   16 -0.035   14 -0.001   17 0.4937    8  4.022   10  0.191   22 -0.193
HAWKS         15 18 3919 3962 -0.042 16.191   19 -0.120   19 -0.124   20 -0.147   18 0.4896    6  4.028   13  0.077   23 -0.372
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 19 3616 3734  0.094 16.978   20 -0.138   20 -0.139   21 -0.174   20 0.4841    7  4.024   15  0.029   24 -0.377
KINGS          8 23 3473 3781  0.114 17.833   27 -0.372   27 -0.371   28 -0.430   27 0.4586   15  3.978   28 -0.470   25 -0.390
PACERS         6 26 3513 3813 -0.102 15.938   30 -0.696   30 -0.718   29 -0.590   30 0.4207   24  3.947   30 -0.788   26 -0.392
PELICANS       8 25 3803 4045  0.016 17.470   28 -0.508   28 -0.510   27 -0.360   28 0.4419    9  4.016   21 -0.202   27 -0.518
BULLS         15 16 3684 3782 -0.104 14.706   18 -0.102   18 -0.099   24 -0.277   19 0.4882    4  4.038   16 -0.002   28 -0.552
JAZZ          12 19 3735 3939  0.037 16.667   21 -0.173   21 -0.166   26 -0.301   21 0.4827    1  4.088    8  0.241   29 -0.844
WIZARDS        6 23 3290 3649 -0.066 14.914   29 -0.607   29 -0.614   30 -0.655   29 0.4291    3  4.043   25 -0.355   30 -0.955

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
WARRIORS      16 15 3551 3484  0.073 16.143   13  0.073   13  0.075    8  0.205   13 0.5088   26  3.938   19 -0.040    4  0.451
SUNS          18 13 3569 3524  0.059 16.046   11  0.200   11  0.199   12  0.139   11 0.5237   21  3.955   18 -0.019    7  0.296
CLIPPERS       9 21 3345 3459  0.110 16.599   24 -0.318   24 -0.315   18 -0.076   24 0.4621   28  3.933   24 -0.345   12  0.194
LAKERS        19 10 3391 3406  0.021 14.851    7  0.315    7  0.325   17 -0.063    7 0.5412   10  4.008   14  0.054   21 -0.179
KINGS          8 23 3473 3781  0.114 17.833   27 -0.372   27 -0.371   28 -0.430   27 0.4586   15  3.978   28 -0.470   25 -0.390

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       26  5 3760 3328 -0.011 14.293    1  0.702    1  0.686    1  0.743    1 0.5750   29  3.933    3  0.472    1  1.014
TIMBERWOLVES  20 12 3800 3669 -0.030 15.255    9  0.222    9  0.220    9  0.194    9 0.5260   14  3.978   11  0.154   10  0.235
NUGGETS       22  9 3900 3644  0.014 14.961    5  0.398    5  0.397    3  0.431    5 0.5447    2  4.066    1  0.856   16  0.007
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 19 3616 3734  0.094 16.978   20 -0.138   20 -0.139   21 -0.174   20 0.4841    7  4.024   15  0.029   24 -0.377
JAZZ          12 19 3735 3939  0.037 16.667   21 -0.173   21 -0.166   26 -0.301   21 0.4827    1  4.088    8  0.241   29 -0.844

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       19 10 3490 3240  0.112 14.892    6  0.359    6  0.349    2  0.514    6 0.5427   25  3.947    6  0.315    2  0.713
SPURS         23  9 3836 3647  0.091 16.406    2  0.503    2  0.504    4  0.404    2 0.5582   12  3.994    4  0.446    5  0.362
GRIZZLIES     15 16 3576 3591  0.008 15.719   17 -0.038   17 -0.036   13  0.028   16 0.4960   16  3.977   17 -0.016   14  0.071
MAVERICKS     12 21 3745 3877 -0.030 16.732   23 -0.293   23 -0.283   23 -0.208   23 0.4652   23  3.951   26 -0.387   17 -0.030
PELICANS       8 25 3803 4045  0.016 17.470   28 -0.508   28 -0.510   27 -0.360   28 0.4419    9  4.016   21 -0.202   27 -0.518

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       24  7 3704 3500 -0.091 13.969    3  0.484    3  0.483    7  0.295    3 0.5558   17  3.976    7  0.246    6  0.344
BUCKS         13 19 3607 3713 -0.094 15.292   22 -0.255   22 -0.248   25 -0.279   22 0.4720   20  3.955   27 -0.435   19 -0.123
CAVALIERS     17 16 3945 3885 -0.080 15.450   16 -0.033   16 -0.035   14 -0.001   17 0.4937    8  4.022   10  0.191   22 -0.193
PACERS         6 26 3513 3813 -0.102 15.938   30 -0.696   30 -0.718   29 -0.590   30 0.4207   24  3.947   30 -0.788   26 -0.392
BULLS         15 16 3684 3782 -0.104 14.706   18 -0.102   18 -0.099   24 -0.277   19 0.4882    4  4.038   16 -0.002   28 -0.552

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         18 14 3747 3691  0.130 17.458   10  0.214   10  0.214   10  0.178   10 0.5251   18  3.970   12  0.097    9  0.258
HEAT          17 15 3845 3756  0.044 16.365   12  0.081   12  0.081   11  0.139   12 0.5094    5  4.033    5  0.386   18 -0.108
HORNETS       11 20 3583 3670 -0.073 15.018   26 -0.337   26 -0.339   22 -0.187   25 0.4610   13  3.981   22 -0.212   20 -0.163
HAWKS         15 18 3919 3962 -0.042 16.191   19 -0.120   19 -0.124   20 -0.147   18 0.4896    6  4.028   13  0.077   23 -0.372
WIZARDS        6 23 3290 3649 -0.066 14.914   29 -0.607   29 -0.614   30 -0.655   29 0.4291    3  4.043   25 -0.355   30 -0.955

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       19 11 3504 3311  0.009 14.636    8  0.251    8  0.246    6  0.357    8 0.5313   22  3.954    9  0.193    3  0.522
KNICKS        23  9 3860 3637 -0.016 15.370    4  0.423    4  0.421    5  0.373    4 0.5475   11  4.006    2  0.480    8  0.266
RAPTORS       18 14 3633 3599 -0.081 15.043   14  0.058   14  0.059   16 -0.052   14 0.5046   27  3.936   23 -0.304   11  0.201
NETS          10 19 3183 3297 -0.046 14.396   25 -0.325   25 -0.324   19 -0.147   26 0.4607   30  3.921   29 -0.474   13  0.181
76ERS         16 13 3366 3340 -0.098 13.451   15  0.030   15  0.033   15 -0.047   15 0.5035   19  3.964   20 -0.155   15  0.062

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 92 64 0.590    1  0.242
ATLANTIC DIVISION  86 66 0.566    2  0.113
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 77 81 0.487    3  0.074
PACIFIC DIVISION   70 82 0.461    4 -0.065
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 67 90 0.427    5 -0.157
CENTRAL DIVISION   75 84 0.472    6 -0.201

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sun Dec 28 05:30:16 2025
games through: Sat Dec 27 2025

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