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
LAKERS        7 2 1076 1049  0.143  4.806    2  0.368    2  0.370    8  0.175    1 0.5745   12  4.003    9  0.251   11  0.098 P
THUNDER       9 1 1232 1097 -0.055  4.100    1  0.464    1  0.463    1  0.468    2 0.5721   28  3.925   13  0.149    1  0.788 P
BULLS         6 2  953  935  0.065  4.044    5  0.285    5  0.286   15  0.068    3 0.5600   11  4.008   11  0.173   18 -0.038 P
NUGGETS       6 2 1001  899  0.093  3.772    4  0.289    4  0.287    2  0.452    4 0.5538   17  3.992    2  0.474    4  0.430 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 5 3  963  942  0.152  4.329   10  0.167   10  0.181   13  0.092    5 0.5432    2  4.040    4  0.366   23 -0.182 P
PISTONS       7 2 1050  997 -0.058  4.012    3  0.292    3  0.290   12  0.123    6 0.5427   24  3.962   16 -0.012    7  0.258 P
SPURS         6 2  946  877  0.012  3.706    6  0.249    6  0.247    5  0.216    7 0.5386   27  3.936   20 -0.052    2  0.485 P
KNICKS        5 3  951  909  0.099  4.026   11  0.154   11  0.165    7  0.206    8 0.5353   20  3.977   12  0.150    6  0.262 P
CAVALIERS     6 3 1079 1032  0.017  4.233    7  0.207    7  0.200    6  0.206    9 0.5349   15  3.998    8  0.259    9  0.153 P
BUCKS         6 3 1085 1063 -0.008  4.261    8  0.179    9  0.190   14  0.078   10 0.5349    6  4.025    7  0.273   20 -0.116 P
TEAM          W L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
ROCKETS       5 3  983  903  0.228  4.167    9  0.179    8  0.191    3  0.371   11 0.5268   16  3.996    3  0.415    5  0.327 P
HEAT          5 4 1105 1049  0.201  4.813   12  0.133   12  0.128    4  0.278   12 0.5202    3  4.036    1  0.531   15  0.025 P
TIMBERWOLVES  5 4 1069 1043  0.046  4.387   15  0.094   15  0.085   10  0.155   13 0.5170   14  3.998   10  0.208   10  0.102 P
RAPTORS       5 4 1073 1041  0.116  4.672   14  0.106   14  0.098    9  0.164   14 0.5157    9  4.011    6  0.283   13  0.045 P
WARRIORS      5 5 1161 1167  0.120  5.282   16  0.072   16  0.063   17  0.064   15 0.5131   21  3.966   18 -0.048    8  0.176 P
76ERS         5 3  986  954 -0.069  3.578   13  0.111   13  0.100   16  0.067   16 0.5092    4  4.035    5  0.315   22 -0.181 P
KINGS         3 6 1036 1095  0.210  5.293   19 -0.101   19 -0.090   21 -0.104   17 0.4974    5  4.027   14  0.103   27 -0.311 P
HAWKS         4 5 1030 1048  0.056  4.632   17 -0.031   17 -0.040   19 -0.056   18 0.4865   19  3.979   22 -0.101   16 -0.010 P
MAGIC         4 5 1053 1051 -0.018  4.308   18 -0.081   18 -0.075   18 -0.004   19 0.4826   18  3.991   15  0.012   17 -0.021 P
CELTICS       4 6 1130 1107  0.019  4.793   20 -0.122   20 -0.117   11  0.126   20 0.4778   29  3.919   23 -0.228    3  0.480 P
TEAM          W L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          4 5 1050 1064 -0.142  3.949   21 -0.128   21 -0.125   20 -0.097   21 0.4777   13  4.000   17 -0.035   21 -0.159 P
CLIPPERS      3 5  884  921 -0.096  3.714   22 -0.163   22 -0.153   22 -0.165   22 0.4702   26  3.943   26 -0.394   12  0.063 P
JAZZ          3 6 1009 1081 -0.025  4.535   24 -0.199   24 -0.188   26 -0.329   23 0.4625   22  3.966   27 -0.443   24 -0.216 P
GRIZZLIES     4 6 1151 1191 -0.131  4.563   23 -0.175   23 -0.165   23 -0.192   24 0.4616   10  4.009   21 -0.080   26 -0.304 P
PELICANS      2 6  863  966 -0.034  4.207   25 -0.266   25 -0.259   28 -0.410   25 0.4419   23  3.965   29 -0.528   25 -0.293 P
HORNETS       3 6 1071 1089 -0.224  3.850   26 -0.295   26 -0.300   24 -0.241   26 0.4376    7  4.025   19 -0.049   28 -0.432 P
MAVERICKS     2 7  954 1028 -0.260  3.995   27 -0.406   27 -0.418   27 -0.368   27 0.4192   30  3.911   30 -0.761   14  0.026 P
WIZARDS       1 8 1009 1173 -0.078  4.777   30 -0.469   29 -0.465   30 -0.679   28 0.4107    1  4.044   25 -0.386   30 -0.971 P
NETS          1 8 1002 1121 -0.040  4.608   28 -0.453   28 -0.457   29 -0.471   29 0.4075    8  4.014   24 -0.334   29 -0.608 P
PACERS        1 7  893  956 -0.196  3.511   29 -0.463   30 -0.467   25 -0.309   30 0.4039   25  3.947   28 -0.518   19 -0.100 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        7 2 1076 1049  0.143  4.806    2  0.368    2  0.370    8  0.175    1 0.5745   12  4.003    9  0.251   11  0.098 P
WARRIORS      5 5 1161 1167  0.120  5.282   16  0.072   16  0.063   17  0.064   15 0.5131   21  3.966   18 -0.048    8  0.176 P
KINGS         3 6 1036 1095  0.210  5.293   19 -0.101   19 -0.090   21 -0.104   17 0.4974    5  4.027   14  0.103   27 -0.311 P
SUNS          4 5 1050 1064 -0.142  3.949   21 -0.128   21 -0.125   20 -0.097   21 0.4777   13  4.000   17 -0.035   21 -0.159 P
CLIPPERS      3 5  884  921 -0.096  3.714   22 -0.163   22 -0.153   22 -0.165   22 0.4702   26  3.943   26 -0.394   12  0.063 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
THUNDER       9 1 1232 1097 -0.055  4.100    1  0.464    1  0.463    1  0.468    2 0.5721   28  3.925   13  0.149    1  0.788 P
NUGGETS       6 2 1001  899  0.093  3.772    4  0.289    4  0.287    2  0.452    4 0.5538   17  3.992    2  0.474    4  0.430 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 5 3  963  942  0.152  4.329   10  0.167   10  0.181   13  0.092    5 0.5432    2  4.040    4  0.366   23 -0.182 P
TIMBERWOLVES  5 4 1069 1043  0.046  4.387   15  0.094   15  0.085   10  0.155   13 0.5170   14  3.998   10  0.208   10  0.102 P
JAZZ          3 6 1009 1081 -0.025  4.535   24 -0.199   24 -0.188   26 -0.329   23 0.4625   22  3.966   27 -0.443   24 -0.216 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
SPURS         6 2  946  877  0.012  3.706    6  0.249    6  0.247    5  0.216    7 0.5386   27  3.936   20 -0.052    2  0.485 P
ROCKETS       5 3  983  903  0.228  4.167    9  0.179    8  0.191    3  0.371   11 0.5268   16  3.996    3  0.415    5  0.327 P
GRIZZLIES     4 6 1151 1191 -0.131  4.563   23 -0.175   23 -0.165   23 -0.192   24 0.4616   10  4.009   21 -0.080   26 -0.304 P
PELICANS      2 6  863  966 -0.034  4.207   25 -0.266   25 -0.259   28 -0.410   25 0.4419   23  3.965   29 -0.528   25 -0.293 P
MAVERICKS     2 7  954 1028 -0.260  3.995   27 -0.406   27 -0.418   27 -0.368   27 0.4192   30  3.911   30 -0.761   14  0.026 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         6 2  953  935  0.065  4.044    5  0.285    5  0.286   15  0.068    3 0.5600   11  4.008   11  0.173   18 -0.038 P
PISTONS       7 2 1050  997 -0.058  4.012    3  0.292    3  0.290   12  0.123    6 0.5427   24  3.962   16 -0.012    7  0.258 P
CAVALIERS     6 3 1079 1032  0.017  4.233    7  0.207    7  0.200    6  0.206    9 0.5349   15  3.998    8  0.259    9  0.153 P
BUCKS         6 3 1085 1063 -0.008  4.261    8  0.179    9  0.190   14  0.078   10 0.5349    6  4.025    7  0.273   20 -0.116 P
PACERS        1 7  893  956 -0.196  3.511   29 -0.463   30 -0.467   25 -0.309   30 0.4039   25  3.947   28 -0.518   19 -0.100 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          5 4 1105 1049  0.201  4.813   12  0.133   12  0.128    4  0.278   12 0.5202    3  4.036    1  0.531   15  0.025 P
HAWKS         4 5 1030 1048  0.056  4.632   17 -0.031   17 -0.040   19 -0.056   18 0.4865   19  3.979   22 -0.101   16 -0.010 P
MAGIC         4 5 1053 1051 -0.018  4.308   18 -0.081   18 -0.075   18 -0.004   19 0.4826   18  3.991   15  0.012   17 -0.021 P
HORNETS       3 6 1071 1089 -0.224  3.850   26 -0.295   26 -0.300   24 -0.241   26 0.4376    7  4.025   19 -0.049   28 -0.432 P
WIZARDS       1 8 1009 1173 -0.078  4.777   30 -0.469   29 -0.465   30 -0.679   28 0.4107    1  4.044   25 -0.386   30 -0.971 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
KNICKS        5 3  951  909  0.099  4.026   11  0.154   11  0.165    7  0.206    8 0.5353   20  3.977   12  0.150    6  0.262 P
RAPTORS       5 4 1073 1041  0.116  4.672   14  0.106   14  0.098    9  0.164   14 0.5157    9  4.011    6  0.283   13  0.045 P
76ERS         5 3  986  954 -0.069  3.578   13  0.111   13  0.100   16  0.067   16 0.5092    4  4.035    5  0.315   22 -0.181 P
CELTICS       4 6 1130 1107  0.019  4.793   20 -0.122   20 -0.117   11  0.126   20 0.4778   29  3.919   23 -0.228    3  0.480 P
NETS          1 8 1002 1121 -0.040  4.608   28 -0.453   28 -0.457   29 -0.471   29 0.4075    8  4.014   24 -0.334   29 -0.608 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 28 16 0.636    1  0.302
CENTRAL DIVISION   26 17 0.605    2  0.068
ATLANTIC DIVISION  20 24 0.455    3  0.053
PACIFIC DIVISION   22 23 0.489    4 -0.045
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 19 24 0.442    5 -0.131
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 17 28 0.378    6 -0.210

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sat Nov  8 05:30:12 2025
games through: Fri Nov  7 2025

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