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
SPURS         74 27 12014 11159  0.127 52.511    2  0.727    2  0.681    1  0.805    2 0.5629   16  3.972    1  0.793    4  0.816
THUNDER       75 22 11493 10472  0.111 49.746    1  0.831    1  0.786    2  0.732    1 0.5720   25  3.932    5  0.517    1  0.947
KNICKS        66 31 11352 10551  0.040 47.915    4  0.492    4  0.456    3  0.731    4 0.5439   24  3.935    4  0.529    2  0.933
PISTONS       67 29 11126 10434  0.017 46.781    3  0.511    3  0.479    4  0.476    3 0.5469   27  3.921    9  0.206    5  0.746
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.009 43.042    5  0.407    5  0.378    5  0.466    5 0.5376   29  3.899   12  0.087    3  0.845
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364 -0.006 40.783   16  0.084   16  0.063    6  0.382   16 0.5055   21  3.946    8  0.238    7  0.525
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.018 43.507    6  0.356    7  0.334    7  0.284    6 0.5324    5  4.024    2  0.542   15  0.026
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628 -0.001 42.832    9  0.283    9  0.262    8  0.238    9 0.5262   30  3.899   21 -0.143    6  0.619
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.019 44.596   12  0.152   13  0.128    9  0.201   11 0.5123   23  3.937   13  0.011    8  0.392
CAVALIERS     60 40 11744 11461  0.061 51.469    8  0.310    8  0.296   10  0.193    8 0.5270   10  3.996    6  0.305   14  0.081
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        57 35 10562 10467  0.043 47.221    7  0.354    6  0.340   11  0.143    7 0.5313   17  3.971   11  0.128   11  0.157
TIMBERWOLVES  55 39 10975 10770  0.048 48.060   10  0.262   10  0.241   12  0.123   10 0.5232   13  3.980   10  0.151   13  0.095
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.033 44.838   11  0.157   11  0.138   13  0.106   12 0.5119    8  4.009    7  0.289   18 -0.077
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.031 40.413   19  0.002   19 -0.021   14  0.079   19 0.4980   22  3.942   19 -0.083   10  0.242
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.007 41.270   17  0.054   17  0.038   15  0.078   17 0.5030    2  4.061    3  0.536   20 -0.380
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.040 45.150   15  0.108   15  0.092   16  0.044   15 0.5085   26  3.923   23 -0.217    9  0.304
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.042 46.902   13  0.151   12  0.131   17  0.043   13 0.5116   19  3.956   17 -0.052   12  0.138
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.015 44.837   18  0.035   18  0.021   18  0.001   18 0.5014   14  3.974   14  0.002   16  0.001
76ERS         50 44 10745 10857  0.033 48.623   14  0.139   14  0.125   19 -0.081   14 0.5098   15  3.972   20 -0.090   17 -0.071
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676 -0.006 42.109   20 -0.095   20 -0.116   20 -0.162   20 0.4885   18  3.967   22 -0.199   19 -0.125
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 -0.042 40.953   23 -0.459   24 -0.489   21 -0.249   23 0.4544    7  4.017   16 -0.027   23 -0.471
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.057 40.772   22 -0.302   22 -0.327   22 -0.423   22 0.4675    3  4.043   18 -0.059   27 -0.786
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.057 40.850   24 -0.462   23 -0.487   23 -0.426   24 0.4534   11  3.996   24 -0.315   24 -0.538
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.061 41.321   29 -0.676   29 -0.709   24 -0.499   29 0.4335    9  4.001   26 -0.361   25 -0.636
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.071 40.713   21 -0.283   21 -0.302   25 -0.549   21 0.4701   20  3.953   29 -0.657   22 -0.441
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.064 41.250   26 -0.585   26 -0.613   26 -0.582   26 0.4426    1  4.081   15 -0.014   29 -1.149
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.058 40.872   25 -0.499   25 -0.530   27 -0.582   25 0.4504    6  4.021   25 -0.339   28 -0.826
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.071 41.332   27 -0.594   27 -0.616   28 -0.662   27 0.4424   12  3.990   28 -0.581   26 -0.743
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.084 41.167   28 -0.673   28 -0.698   29 -0.800   28 0.4357   28  3.901   30 -1.169   21 -0.431
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.094 41.183   30 -0.790   30 -0.826   30 -0.819   30 0.4266    4  4.040   27 -0.472   30 -1.166

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        57 35 10562 10467  0.043 47.221    7  0.354    6  0.340   11  0.143    7 0.5313   17  3.971   11  0.128   11  0.157
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.031 40.413   19  0.002   19 -0.021   14  0.079   19 0.4980   22  3.942   19 -0.083   10  0.242
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.040 45.150   15  0.108   15  0.092   16  0.044   15 0.5085   26  3.923   23 -0.217    9  0.304
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676 -0.006 42.109   20 -0.095   20 -0.116   20 -0.162   20 0.4885   18  3.967   22 -0.199   19 -0.125
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.071 41.332   27 -0.594   27 -0.616   28 -0.662   27 0.4424   12  3.990   28 -0.581   26 -0.743

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       75 22 11493 10472  0.111 49.746    1  0.831    1  0.786    2  0.732    1 0.5720   25  3.932    5  0.517    1  0.947
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.018 43.507    6  0.356    7  0.334    7  0.284    6 0.5324    5  4.024    2  0.542   15  0.026
TIMBERWOLVES  55 39 10975 10770  0.048 48.060   10  0.262   10  0.241   12  0.123   10 0.5232   13  3.980   10  0.151   13  0.095
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.015 44.837   18  0.035   18  0.021   18  0.001   18 0.5014   14  3.974   14  0.002   16  0.001
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.064 41.250   26 -0.585   26 -0.613   26 -0.582   26 0.4426    1  4.081   15 -0.014   29 -1.149

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         74 27 12014 11159  0.127 52.511    2  0.727    2  0.681    1  0.805    2 0.5629   16  3.972    1  0.793    4  0.816
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628 -0.001 42.832    9  0.283    9  0.262    8  0.238    9 0.5262   30  3.899   21 -0.143    6  0.619
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.042 40.953   23 -0.459   24 -0.489   21 -0.249   23 0.4544    7  4.017   16 -0.027   23 -0.471
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.057 40.850   24 -0.462   23 -0.487   23 -0.426   24 0.4534   11  3.996   24 -0.315   24 -0.538
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.058 40.872   25 -0.499   25 -0.530   27 -0.582   25 0.4504    6  4.021   25 -0.339   28 -0.826

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       67 29 11126 10434  0.017 46.781    3  0.511    3  0.479    4  0.476    3 0.5469   27  3.921    9  0.206    5  0.746
CAVALIERS     60 40 11744 11461  0.061 51.469    8  0.310    8  0.296   10  0.193    8 0.5270   10  3.996    6  0.305   14  0.081
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.057 40.772   22 -0.302   22 -0.327   22 -0.423   22 0.4675    3  4.043   18 -0.059   27 -0.786
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.061 41.321   29 -0.676   29 -0.709   24 -0.499   29 0.4335    9  4.001   26 -0.361   25 -0.636
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.071 40.713   21 -0.283   21 -0.302   25 -0.549   21 0.4701   20  3.953   29 -0.657   22 -0.441

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 -0.006 40.783   16  0.084   16  0.063    6  0.382   16 0.5055   21  3.946    8  0.238    7  0.525
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.033 44.838   11  0.157   11  0.138   13  0.106   12 0.5119    8  4.009    7  0.289   18 -0.077
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.007 41.270   17  0.054   17  0.038   15  0.078   17 0.5030    2  4.061    3  0.536   20 -0.380
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.042 46.902   13  0.151   12  0.131   17  0.043   13 0.5116   19  3.956   17 -0.052   12  0.138
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.094 41.183   30 -0.790   30 -0.826   30 -0.819   30 0.4266    4  4.040   27 -0.472   30 -1.166

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        66 31 11352 10551  0.040 47.915    4  0.492    4  0.456    3  0.731    4 0.5439   24  3.935    4  0.529    2  0.933
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.009 43.042    5  0.407    5  0.378    5  0.466    5 0.5376   29  3.899   12  0.087    3  0.845
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.019 44.596   12  0.152   13  0.128    9  0.201   11 0.5123   23  3.937   13  0.011    8  0.392
76ERS         50 44 10745 10857  0.033 48.623   14  0.139   14  0.125   19 -0.081   14 0.5098   15  3.972   20 -0.090   17 -0.071
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.084 41.167   28 -0.673   28 -0.698   29 -0.800   28 0.4357   28  3.901   30 -1.169   21 -0.431

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 252 197 0.561    1  0.139
ATLANTIC DIVISION  244 207 0.541    2  0.108
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 202 226 0.472    3 -0.044
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 205 230 0.471    4 -0.057
PACIFIC DIVISION   205 224 0.478    5 -0.111
CENTRAL DIVISION   209 233 0.473    6 -0.161

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.148 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: Sun May 31 05:30:12 2026
games through: Sat May 30 2026

Back to Dolphin rankings main page.