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       28  5 4029 3561 -0.025 14.956    1  0.698    1  0.713    1  0.758    1 0.5758   27  3.945    2  0.544    1  0.972
ROCKETS       20 10 3616 3359  0.082 14.982    5  0.359    6  0.354    2  0.478    5 0.5418   21  3.953    6  0.310    2  0.647
KNICKS        24  9 3990 3762 -0.016 15.747    4  0.445    4  0.443    3  0.368    4 0.5490   10  4.010    3  0.492   12  0.244
NUGGETS       22 10 4023 3791  0.016 15.433    6  0.352    5  0.356    4  0.364    6 0.5392    2  4.071    1  0.813   18 -0.086
SPURS         23 10 3937 3760  0.078 16.751    3  0.451    3  0.453    5  0.354    3 0.5516   12  3.987    5  0.356    7  0.352
CELTICS       20 12 3741 3544  0.012 15.599    8  0.249    8  0.237    6  0.344    8 0.5305   23  3.953   11  0.175    3  0.514
PISTONS       25  8 3931 3718 -0.078 14.959    2  0.462    2  0.463    7  0.303    2 0.5538   18  3.972    8  0.228    5  0.377
TIMBERWOLVES  21 12 3936 3770 -0.044 15.353    9  0.239    9  0.229    8  0.251    9 0.5275   15  3.977    9  0.204    9  0.298
HEAT          18 15 3992 3879  0.061 16.946   12  0.131   13  0.121    9  0.203   12 0.5139    3  4.038    4  0.474   17 -0.069
WARRIORS      17 16 3798 3732  0.067 17.054   14  0.075   14  0.070   10  0.192   14 0.5082   26  3.945   16 -0.021    4  0.405
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAGIC         18 15 3853 3798  0.129 17.909   11  0.188   11  0.180   11  0.171   11 0.5217   19  3.965   13  0.063   10  0.280
SUNS          19 13 3684 3625  0.037 16.171   10  0.220   10  0.212   12  0.144   10 0.5242   25  3.949   18 -0.048    8  0.336
CLIPPERS      11 21 3588 3648  0.096 17.284   23 -0.247   23 -0.245   13  0.050   23 0.4707   29  3.927   24 -0.255    6  0.355
CAVALIERS     18 16 4058 3986 -0.051 16.128   16  0.023   16  0.016   14  0.050   16 0.5006    9  4.016   10  0.204   20 -0.103
RAPTORS       20 14 3881 3832 -0.062 16.086   13  0.128   12  0.125   15 -0.004   13 0.5125   28  3.938   23 -0.252   11  0.244
GRIZZLIES     15 18 3824 3846 -0.016 16.379   18 -0.105   18 -0.115   16 -0.015   19 0.4873   14  3.980   17 -0.046   15  0.017
76ERS         17 14 3609 3605 -0.054 14.856   15  0.062   15  0.060   17 -0.053   15 0.5071   17  3.972   20 -0.127   14  0.020
LAKERS        20 11 3622 3635  0.007 15.618    7  0.300    7  0.303   18 -0.069    7 0.5378   11  4.006   15  0.033   21 -0.172
HAWKS         15 19 4048 4102 -0.013 16.974   19 -0.121   20 -0.130   19 -0.132   18 0.4892    4  4.038   12  0.140   25 -0.403
TRAIL BLAZERS 14 19 3855 3964  0.084 17.802   17 -0.073   17 -0.076   20 -0.149   17 0.4907    7  4.025   14  0.053   23 -0.350
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
NETS          10 20 3290 3417 -0.036 14.916   25 -0.354   25 -0.342   21 -0.168   25 0.4586   30  3.922   28 -0.495   13  0.159
MAVERICKS     12 22 3867 4002 -0.024 17.185   24 -0.316   24 -0.304   22 -0.207   24 0.4628   22  3.953   25 -0.376   16 -0.038
HORNETS       11 21 3696 3793 -0.075 15.402   26 -0.373   26 -0.365   23 -0.211   26 0.4585   13  3.982   22 -0.232   22 -0.190
BUCKS         14 19 3730 3826 -0.091 15.666   22 -0.215   22 -0.214   24 -0.247   22 0.4767   20  3.957   27 -0.397   19 -0.097
JAZZ          12 20 3854 4068  0.032 17.058   21 -0.200   21 -0.197   25 -0.316   21 0.4782    1  4.089    7  0.230   29 -0.863
BULLS         15 17 3785 3918 -0.101 15.206   20 -0.126   19 -0.122   26 -0.346   20 0.4853    5  4.037   19 -0.080   28 -0.611
PELICANS       8 26 3928 4175  0.020 17.902   28 -0.534   28 -0.530   27 -0.354   28 0.4396    8  4.019   21 -0.182   27 -0.526
PACERS         6 27 3632 3939 -0.082 16.613   30 -0.705   30 -0.727   28 -0.560   30 0.4214   24  3.952   30 -0.738   24 -0.382
KINGS          8 25 3664 4037  0.099 18.788   27 -0.429   27 -0.419   29 -0.560   27 0.4538   16  3.973   29 -0.631   26 -0.489
WIZARDS        7 24 3507 3876 -0.064 15.765   29 -0.584   29 -0.584   30 -0.640   29 0.4331    6  4.034   26 -0.388   30 -0.892

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      17 16 3798 3732  0.067 17.054   14  0.075   14  0.070   10  0.192   14 0.5082   26  3.945   16 -0.021    4  0.405
SUNS          19 13 3684 3625  0.037 16.171   10  0.220   10  0.212   12  0.144   10 0.5242   25  3.949   18 -0.048    8  0.336
CLIPPERS      11 21 3588 3648  0.096 17.284   23 -0.247   23 -0.245   13  0.050   23 0.4707   29  3.927   24 -0.255    6  0.355
LAKERS        20 11 3622 3635  0.007 15.618    7  0.300    7  0.303   18 -0.069    7 0.5378   11  4.006   15  0.033   21 -0.172
KINGS          8 25 3664 4037  0.099 18.788   27 -0.429   27 -0.419   29 -0.560   27 0.4538   16  3.973   29 -0.631   26 -0.489

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       28  5 4029 3561 -0.025 14.956    1  0.698    1  0.713    1  0.758    1 0.5758   27  3.945    2  0.544    1  0.972
NUGGETS       22 10 4023 3791  0.016 15.433    6  0.352    5  0.356    4  0.364    6 0.5392    2  4.071    1  0.813   18 -0.086
TIMBERWOLVES  21 12 3936 3770 -0.044 15.353    9  0.239    9  0.229    8  0.251    9 0.5275   15  3.977    9  0.204    9  0.298
TRAIL BLAZERS 14 19 3855 3964  0.084 17.802   17 -0.073   17 -0.076   20 -0.149   17 0.4907    7  4.025   14  0.053   23 -0.350
JAZZ          12 20 3854 4068  0.032 17.058   21 -0.200   21 -0.197   25 -0.316   21 0.4782    1  4.089    7  0.230   29 -0.863

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       20 10 3616 3359  0.082 14.982    5  0.359    6  0.354    2  0.478    5 0.5418   21  3.953    6  0.310    2  0.647
SPURS         23 10 3937 3760  0.078 16.751    3  0.451    3  0.453    5  0.354    3 0.5516   12  3.987    5  0.356    7  0.352
GRIZZLIES     15 18 3824 3846 -0.016 16.379   18 -0.105   18 -0.115   16 -0.015   19 0.4873   14  3.980   17 -0.046   15  0.017
MAVERICKS     12 22 3867 4002 -0.024 17.185   24 -0.316   24 -0.304   22 -0.207   24 0.4628   22  3.953   25 -0.376   16 -0.038
PELICANS       8 26 3928 4175  0.020 17.902   28 -0.534   28 -0.530   27 -0.354   28 0.4396    8  4.019   21 -0.182   27 -0.526

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       25  8 3931 3718 -0.078 14.959    2  0.462    2  0.463    7  0.303    2 0.5538   18  3.972    8  0.228    5  0.377
CAVALIERS     18 16 4058 3986 -0.051 16.128   16  0.023   16  0.016   14  0.050   16 0.5006    9  4.016   10  0.204   20 -0.103
BUCKS         14 19 3730 3826 -0.091 15.666   22 -0.215   22 -0.214   24 -0.247   22 0.4767   20  3.957   27 -0.397   19 -0.097
BULLS         15 17 3785 3918 -0.101 15.206   20 -0.126   19 -0.122   26 -0.346   20 0.4853    5  4.037   19 -0.080   28 -0.611
PACERS         6 27 3632 3939 -0.082 16.613   30 -0.705   30 -0.727   28 -0.560   30 0.4214   24  3.952   30 -0.738   24 -0.382

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          18 15 3992 3879  0.061 16.946   12  0.131   13  0.121    9  0.203   12 0.5139    3  4.038    4  0.474   17 -0.069
MAGIC         18 15 3853 3798  0.129 17.909   11  0.188   11  0.180   11  0.171   11 0.5217   19  3.965   13  0.063   10  0.280
HAWKS         15 19 4048 4102 -0.013 16.974   19 -0.121   20 -0.130   19 -0.132   18 0.4892    4  4.038   12  0.140   25 -0.403
HORNETS       11 21 3696 3793 -0.075 15.402   26 -0.373   26 -0.365   23 -0.211   26 0.4585   13  3.982   22 -0.232   22 -0.190
WIZARDS        7 24 3507 3876 -0.064 15.765   29 -0.584   29 -0.584   30 -0.640   29 0.4331    6  4.034   26 -0.388   30 -0.892

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        24  9 3990 3762 -0.016 15.747    4  0.445    4  0.443    3  0.368    4 0.5490   10  4.010    3  0.492   12  0.244
CELTICS       20 12 3741 3544  0.012 15.599    8  0.249    8  0.237    6  0.344    8 0.5305   23  3.953   11  0.175    3  0.514
RAPTORS       20 14 3881 3832 -0.062 16.086   13  0.128   12  0.125   15 -0.004   13 0.5125   28  3.938   23 -0.252   11  0.244
76ERS         17 14 3609 3605 -0.054 14.856   15  0.062   15  0.060   17 -0.053   15 0.5071   17  3.972   20 -0.127   14  0.020
NETS          10 20 3290 3417 -0.036 14.916   25 -0.354   25 -0.342   21 -0.168   25 0.4586   30  3.922   28 -0.495   13  0.159

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 97 66 0.595    1  0.241
ATLANTIC DIVISION  91 69 0.569    2  0.115
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 78 86 0.476    3  0.051
PACIFIC DIVISION   75 86 0.466    4 -0.064
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 69 94 0.423    5 -0.143
CENTRAL DIVISION   78 87 0.473    6 -0.192

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.169 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: Wed Dec 31 05:30:15 2025
games through: Tue Dec 30 2025

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