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       65 18  9879  8930  0.071 40.453    1  0.767    1  0.763    1  0.783    1 0.5702   26  3.930    3  0.539    1  1.026
SPURS         63 21 10050  9367  0.072 41.420    2  0.675    2  0.674    2  0.661    2 0.5622   14  3.985    1  0.699    6  0.623
CELTICS       57 26  9541  8878  0.036 39.958    4  0.473    4  0.463    3  0.607    4 0.5443   29  3.903   11  0.229    2  0.984
PISTONS       60 23  9758  9100  0.019 39.411    3  0.538    3  0.536    4  0.557    3 0.5518   22  3.942    7  0.375    3  0.738
KNICKS        55 30  9892  9352  0.038 41.383    7  0.378    7  0.371    5  0.453    7 0.5351   23  3.941    8  0.264    5  0.642
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.015 40.628   16  0.088   16  0.083    6  0.419   16 0.5074   21  3.943    9  0.244    7  0.594
NUGGETS       55 29 10240  9812  0.029 40.908    5  0.395    5  0.387    7  0.378    5 0.5372    5  4.029    2  0.647   14  0.110
ROCKETS       52 31  9547  9128  0.016 39.998    9  0.312    9  0.308    8  0.301    9 0.5296   28  3.910   16 -0.040    4  0.642
CAVALIERS     54 30 10042  9681  0.010 40.527    8  0.347    8  0.347    9  0.285    8 0.5328    8  4.014    5  0.474   15  0.095
HAWKS         47 37  9923  9735  0.034 41.730   11  0.177   11  0.168   10  0.263   11 0.5155    9  4.010    6  0.430   16  0.095
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       46 38  9618  9409  0.026 41.496   14  0.133   14  0.129   11  0.211   14 0.5121   24  3.941   15  0.021    8  0.401
LAKERS        54 29  9647  9494  0.010 40.662    6  0.383    6  0.384   12  0.188    6 0.5359   15  3.983   12  0.216   11  0.160
TIMBERWOLVES  50 34  9900  9631  0.017 40.988   10  0.239   10  0.232   13  0.185   10 0.5225   12  3.988   10  0.240   13  0.131
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.029 41.136   17  0.058   17  0.059   14  0.108   17 0.5049    2  4.058    4  0.532   20 -0.317
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.008 40.293   19  0.005   19  0.001   15  0.102   19 0.5000   25  3.940   20 -0.090   10  0.294
MAGIC         47 38  9821  9739  0.033 42.563   12  0.160   12  0.156   16  0.091   12 0.5141   18  3.967   14  0.036   12  0.146
SUNS          46 39  9537  9441  0.037 42.632   13  0.137   13  0.134   17  0.075   13 0.5127   27  3.915   23 -0.245    9  0.396
TRAIL BLAZERS 43 41  9681  9714  0.008 41.654   18  0.037   18  0.042   18  0.049   18 0.5035   16  3.979   13  0.053   17  0.045
76ERS         46 38  9702  9737 -0.002 41.412   15  0.120   15  0.126   19 -0.067   15 0.5112   17  3.975   19 -0.079   18 -0.055
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.016 41.972   20 -0.090   20 -0.095   20 -0.146   20 0.4905   19  3.965   22 -0.213   19 -0.080
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.020 40.804   23 -0.462   24 -0.467   21 -0.238   23 0.4564    7  4.014   17 -0.048   23 -0.428
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.036 40.605   22 -0.301   22 -0.304   22 -0.421   22 0.4694    3  4.041   21 -0.091   27 -0.752
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.034 40.711   24 -0.465   23 -0.464   23 -0.422   24 0.4554   11  3.993   24 -0.342   24 -0.501
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.040 41.162   29 -0.678   29 -0.687   24 -0.502   29 0.4355   10  3.998   26 -0.398   25 -0.606
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.048 40.605   21 -0.282   21 -0.279   25 -0.548   21 0.4722   20  3.950   29 -0.688   21 -0.407
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.041 41.151   26 -0.584   26 -0.589   26 -0.584   26 0.4446    1  4.079   18 -0.048   29 -1.120
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.036 40.737   25 -0.502   25 -0.507   27 -0.585   25 0.4524    6  4.018   25 -0.372   28 -0.797
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.048 41.231   27 -0.594   27 -0.593   28 -0.670   27 0.4444   13  3.987   28 -0.620   26 -0.720
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.061 41.018   28 -0.673   28 -0.673   29 -0.812   28 0.4376   30  3.899   30 -1.212   22 -0.412
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.070 41.097   30 -0.789   30 -0.799   30 -0.831   30 0.4287    4  4.037   27 -0.517   30 -1.144

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        54 29  9647  9494  0.010 40.662    6  0.383    6  0.384   12  0.188    6 0.5359   15  3.983   12  0.216   11  0.160
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.008 40.293   19  0.005   19  0.001   15  0.102   19 0.5000   25  3.940   20 -0.090   10  0.294
SUNS          46 39  9537  9441  0.037 42.632   13  0.137   13  0.134   17  0.075   13 0.5127   27  3.915   23 -0.245    9  0.396
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.016 41.972   20 -0.090   20 -0.095   20 -0.146   20 0.4905   19  3.965   22 -0.213   19 -0.080
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.048 41.231   27 -0.594   27 -0.593   28 -0.670   27 0.4444   13  3.987   28 -0.620   26 -0.720

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       65 18  9879  8930  0.071 40.453    1  0.767    1  0.763    1  0.783    1 0.5702   26  3.930    3  0.539    1  1.026
NUGGETS       55 29 10240  9812  0.029 40.908    5  0.395    5  0.387    7  0.378    5 0.5372    5  4.029    2  0.647   14  0.110
TIMBERWOLVES  50 34  9900  9631  0.017 40.988   10  0.239   10  0.232   13  0.185   10 0.5225   12  3.988   10  0.240   13  0.131
TRAIL BLAZERS 43 41  9681  9714  0.008 41.654   18  0.037   18  0.042   18  0.049   18 0.5035   16  3.979   13  0.053   17  0.045
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.041 41.151   26 -0.584   26 -0.589   26 -0.584   26 0.4446    1  4.079   18 -0.048   29 -1.120

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         63 21 10050  9367  0.072 41.420    2  0.675    2  0.674    2  0.661    2 0.5622   14  3.985    1  0.699    6  0.623
ROCKETS       52 31  9547  9128  0.016 39.998    9  0.312    9  0.308    8  0.301    9 0.5296   28  3.910   16 -0.040    4  0.642
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.020 40.804   23 -0.462   24 -0.467   21 -0.238   23 0.4564    7  4.014   17 -0.048   23 -0.428
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.034 40.711   24 -0.465   23 -0.464   23 -0.422   24 0.4554   11  3.993   24 -0.342   24 -0.501
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.036 40.737   25 -0.502   25 -0.507   27 -0.585   25 0.4524    6  4.018   25 -0.372   28 -0.797

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       60 23  9758  9100  0.019 39.411    3  0.538    3  0.536    4  0.557    3 0.5518   22  3.942    7  0.375    3  0.738
CAVALIERS     54 30 10042  9681  0.010 40.527    8  0.347    8  0.347    9  0.285    8 0.5328    8  4.014    5  0.474   15  0.095
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.036 40.605   22 -0.301   22 -0.304   22 -0.421   22 0.4694    3  4.041   21 -0.091   27 -0.752
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.040 41.162   29 -0.678   29 -0.687   24 -0.502   29 0.4355   10  3.998   26 -0.398   25 -0.606
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.048 40.605   21 -0.282   21 -0.279   25 -0.548   21 0.4722   20  3.950   29 -0.688   21 -0.407

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
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.015 40.628   16  0.088   16  0.083    6  0.419   16 0.5074   21  3.943    9  0.244    7  0.594
HAWKS         47 37  9923  9735  0.034 41.730   11  0.177   11  0.168   10  0.263   11 0.5155    9  4.010    6  0.430   16  0.095
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.029 41.136   17  0.058   17  0.059   14  0.108   17 0.5049    2  4.058    4  0.532   20 -0.317
MAGIC         47 38  9821  9739  0.033 42.563   12  0.160   12  0.156   16  0.091   12 0.5141   18  3.967   14  0.036   12  0.146
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.070 41.097   30 -0.789   30 -0.799   30 -0.831   30 0.4287    4  4.037   27 -0.517   30 -1.144

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       57 26  9541  8878  0.036 39.958    4  0.473    4  0.463    3  0.607    4 0.5443   29  3.903   11  0.229    2  0.984
KNICKS        55 30  9892  9352  0.038 41.383    7  0.378    7  0.371    5  0.453    7 0.5351   23  3.941    8  0.264    5  0.642
RAPTORS       46 38  9618  9409  0.026 41.496   14  0.133   14  0.129   11  0.211   14 0.5121   24  3.941   15  0.021    8  0.401
76ERS         46 38  9702  9737 -0.002 41.412   15  0.120   15  0.126   19 -0.067   15 0.5112   17  3.975   19 -0.079   18 -0.055
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.061 41.018   28 -0.673   28 -0.673   29 -0.812   28 0.4376   30  3.899   30 -1.212   22 -0.412

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 235 182 0.564    1  0.176
ATLANTIC DIVISION  224 194 0.536    2  0.102
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 199 219 0.476    3 -0.006
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 192 221 0.465    4 -0.049
PACIFIC DIVISION   202 215 0.484    5 -0.088
CENTRAL DIVISION   196 217 0.475    6 -0.129

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.151 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 Apr 21 05:30:15 2026
games through: Mon Apr 20 2026

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