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       25  3 3429 2978 -0.052 12.382    1  0.774    1  0.793    1  0.870    1 0.5841   28  3.932    2  0.606    1  1.135
PISTONS       22  6 3329 3140 -0.066 12.834    2  0.533    2  0.529    7  0.327    2 0.5587   20  3.967    8  0.238    4  0.417
SPURS         21  8 3475 3308  0.049 14.526    3  0.499    3  0.494    6  0.358    3 0.5567   12  3.994    5  0.410    8  0.306
NUGGETS       20  7 3367 3136  0.014 12.994    4  0.463    4  0.454    3  0.449    4 0.5511    2  4.053    1  0.814   12  0.084
LAKERS        19  8 3187 3155 -0.014 13.373    6  0.409    6  0.399   13  0.027    5 0.5505    9  4.010   12  0.163   18 -0.109
KNICKS        21  8 3502 3273 -0.019 13.779    5  0.439    5  0.429    4  0.436    6 0.5453   11  4.002    3  0.527    7  0.345
ROCKETS       17  9 3146 2916  0.116 13.268    7  0.356    7  0.344    2  0.516    7 0.5414   21  3.955    6  0.366    2  0.665
TIMBERWOLVES  19 10 3440 3300 -0.054 13.480    8  0.284    8  0.268    9  0.222    8 0.5312   13  3.979   10  0.194    9  0.249
CELTICS       17 11 3261 3094  0.066 14.288    9  0.255   10  0.234    5  0.384    9 0.5300   23  3.951    9  0.214    3  0.554
MAGIC         16 12 3308 3219  0.154 15.381   10  0.252    9  0.244    8  0.302   10 0.5285   14  3.974    7  0.252    6  0.352
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          15 13 3199 3194  0.077 14.811   12  0.123   12  0.126   12  0.076   11 0.5156   22  3.955   18 -0.074   10  0.226
76ERS         16 11 3158 3117 -0.078 12.703   11  0.128   11  0.131   14  0.019   12 0.5137   16  3.973   17 -0.036   13  0.075
HEAT          15 14 3486 3417  0.084 15.281   13  0.079   13  0.082   11  0.150   13 0.5087    6  4.037    4  0.428   19 -0.127
RAPTORS       17 13 3404 3370 -0.086 14.076   14  0.062   14  0.067   17 -0.057   14 0.5047   26  3.939   22 -0.290   11  0.176
WARRIORS      14 15 3305 3271  0.092 15.397   15  0.018   15  0.025   10  0.156   15 0.5039   27  3.933   20 -0.104    5  0.415
HAWKS         15 15 3560 3582 -0.045 14.673   16 -0.043   16 -0.037   19 -0.114   16 0.5007    7  4.026   14  0.107   24 -0.336
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 16 3305 3395  0.114 15.530   17 -0.051   17 -0.043   18 -0.109   17 0.4965    4  4.040   11  0.184   26 -0.402
CAVALIERS     15 14 3441 3392 -0.115 13.248   18 -0.060   18 -0.054   16 -0.049   18 0.4922   10  4.006   15  0.066   20 -0.163
GRIZZLIES     13 15 3211 3240 -0.013 14.072   19 -0.100   19 -0.091   15 -0.031   19 0.4893   15  3.973   19 -0.086   17  0.023
BULLS         13 15 3346 3445 -0.089 13.535   20 -0.128   20 -0.120   24 -0.293   20 0.4849    3  4.051   16  0.062   28 -0.647
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JAZZ          10 17 3237 3424  0.001 14.261   21 -0.233   21 -0.226   27 -0.357   21 0.4752    1  4.079   13  0.147   29 -0.862
MAVERICKS     11 18 3278 3389 -0.040 14.666   22 -0.263   22 -0.260   20 -0.191   22 0.4690   25  3.940   25 -0.415   16  0.034
BUCKS         11 18 3280 3391 -0.090 14.023   23 -0.297   23 -0.297   25 -0.318   23 0.4660   19  3.967   24 -0.404   22 -0.231
KINGS          7 22 3233 3538  0.137 17.034   24 -0.393   24 -0.391   28 -0.451   24 0.4584   18  3.970   28 -0.521   25 -0.381
HORNETS        9 19 3205 3317 -0.071 13.711   25 -0.407   25 -0.409   23 -0.270   25 0.4535   17  3.972   23 -0.332   21 -0.208
CLIPPERS       7 21 3098 3248  0.092 15.484   26 -0.435   26 -0.442   21 -0.201   26 0.4509   29  3.932   27 -0.468   15  0.065
NETS           8 19 2946 3084 -0.077 13.255   27 -0.441   27 -0.451   22 -0.257   27 0.4461   30  3.920   29 -0.584   14  0.071
PELICANS       7 22 3344 3553  0.029 15.550   28 -0.492   28 -0.500   26 -0.325   28 0.4444    8  4.011   21 -0.183   27 -0.467
WIZARDS        5 22 3043 3406 -0.067 14.098   30 -0.667   29 -0.667   30 -0.728   29 0.4261    5  4.037   26 -0.447   30 -1.008
PACERS         6 22 3086 3317 -0.141 13.548   29 -0.667   30 -0.683   29 -0.537   30 0.4250   24  3.945   30 -0.739   23 -0.336

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        19  8 3187 3155 -0.014 13.373    6  0.409    6  0.399   13  0.027    5 0.5505    9  4.010   12  0.163   18 -0.109
SUNS          15 13 3199 3194  0.077 14.811   12  0.123   12  0.126   12  0.076   11 0.5156   22  3.955   18 -0.074   10  0.226
WARRIORS      14 15 3305 3271  0.092 15.397   15  0.018   15  0.025   10  0.156   15 0.5039   27  3.933   20 -0.104    5  0.415
KINGS          7 22 3233 3538  0.137 17.034   24 -0.393   24 -0.391   28 -0.451   24 0.4584   18  3.970   28 -0.521   25 -0.381
CLIPPERS       7 21 3098 3248  0.092 15.484   26 -0.435   26 -0.442   21 -0.201   26 0.4509   29  3.932   27 -0.468   15  0.065

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       25  3 3429 2978 -0.052 12.382    1  0.774    1  0.793    1  0.870    1 0.5841   28  3.932    2  0.606    1  1.135
NUGGETS       20  7 3367 3136  0.014 12.994    4  0.463    4  0.454    3  0.449    4 0.5511    2  4.053    1  0.814   12  0.084
TIMBERWOLVES  19 10 3440 3300 -0.054 13.480    8  0.284    8  0.268    9  0.222    8 0.5312   13  3.979   10  0.194    9  0.249
TRAIL BLAZERS 12 16 3305 3395  0.114 15.530   17 -0.051   17 -0.043   18 -0.109   17 0.4965    4  4.040   11  0.184   26 -0.402
JAZZ          10 17 3237 3424  0.001 14.261   21 -0.233   21 -0.226   27 -0.357   21 0.4752    1  4.079   13  0.147   29 -0.862

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         21  8 3475 3308  0.049 14.526    3  0.499    3  0.494    6  0.358    3 0.5567   12  3.994    5  0.410    8  0.306
ROCKETS       17  9 3146 2916  0.116 13.268    7  0.356    7  0.344    2  0.516    7 0.5414   21  3.955    6  0.366    2  0.665
GRIZZLIES     13 15 3211 3240 -0.013 14.072   19 -0.100   19 -0.091   15 -0.031   19 0.4893   15  3.973   19 -0.086   17  0.023
MAVERICKS     11 18 3278 3389 -0.040 14.666   22 -0.263   22 -0.260   20 -0.191   22 0.4690   25  3.940   25 -0.415   16  0.034
PELICANS       7 22 3344 3553  0.029 15.550   28 -0.492   28 -0.500   26 -0.325   28 0.4444    8  4.011   21 -0.183   27 -0.467

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       22  6 3329 3140 -0.066 12.834    2  0.533    2  0.529    7  0.327    2 0.5587   20  3.967    8  0.238    4  0.417
CAVALIERS     15 14 3441 3392 -0.115 13.248   18 -0.060   18 -0.054   16 -0.049   18 0.4922   10  4.006   15  0.066   20 -0.163
BULLS         13 15 3346 3445 -0.089 13.535   20 -0.128   20 -0.120   24 -0.293   20 0.4849    3  4.051   16  0.062   28 -0.647
BUCKS         11 18 3280 3391 -0.090 14.023   23 -0.297   23 -0.297   25 -0.318   23 0.4660   19  3.967   24 -0.404   22 -0.231
PACERS         6 22 3086 3317 -0.141 13.548   29 -0.667   30 -0.683   29 -0.537   30 0.4250   24  3.945   30 -0.739   23 -0.336

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         16 12 3308 3219  0.154 15.381   10  0.252    9  0.244    8  0.302   10 0.5285   14  3.974    7  0.252    6  0.352
HEAT          15 14 3486 3417  0.084 15.281   13  0.079   13  0.082   11  0.150   13 0.5087    6  4.037    4  0.428   19 -0.127
HAWKS         15 15 3560 3582 -0.045 14.673   16 -0.043   16 -0.037   19 -0.114   16 0.5007    7  4.026   14  0.107   24 -0.336
HORNETS        9 19 3205 3317 -0.071 13.711   25 -0.407   25 -0.409   23 -0.270   25 0.4535   17  3.972   23 -0.332   21 -0.208
WIZARDS        5 22 3043 3406 -0.067 14.098   30 -0.667   29 -0.667   30 -0.728   29 0.4261    5  4.037   26 -0.447   30 -1.008

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        21  8 3502 3273 -0.019 13.779    5  0.439    5  0.429    4  0.436    6 0.5453   11  4.002    3  0.527    7  0.345
CELTICS       17 11 3261 3094  0.066 14.288    9  0.255   10  0.234    5  0.384    9 0.5300   23  3.951    9  0.214    3  0.554
76ERS         16 11 3158 3117 -0.078 12.703   11  0.128   11  0.131   14  0.019   12 0.5137   16  3.973   17 -0.036   13  0.075
RAPTORS       17 13 3404 3370 -0.086 14.076   14  0.062   14  0.067   17 -0.057   14 0.5047   26  3.939   22 -0.290   11  0.176
NETS           8 19 2946 3084 -0.077 13.255   27 -0.441   27 -0.451   22 -0.257   27 0.4461   30  3.920   29 -0.584   14  0.071

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 86 53 0.619    1  0.276
ATLANTIC DIVISION  79 62 0.560    2  0.120
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 69 72 0.489    3  0.057
PACIFIC DIVISION   62 79 0.440    4 -0.097
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 60 82 0.423    5 -0.148
CENTRAL DIVISION   67 75 0.472    6 -0.204

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.168 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: Mon Dec 22 05:30:12 2025
games through: Sun Dec 21 2025

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