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       45 15 7161 6480  0.043 28.929    1  0.588    1  0.596    1  0.674    1 0.5603   24  3.937    4  0.473    1  0.876
PISTONS       43 14 6693 6243  0.002 27.018    2  0.553    2  0.561    2  0.540    2 0.5586   23  3.948    6  0.395    3  0.686
SPURS         43 17 7102 6717  0.062 29.773    3  0.530    3  0.537    3  0.482    3 0.5543   17  3.979    2  0.498    5  0.467
CELTICS       38 20 6637 6234  0.000 27.591    4  0.331    4  0.327    4  0.435    4 0.5366   29  3.902   13  0.061    2  0.810
CAVALIERS     37 23 7167 6904  0.029 29.504    7  0.278    7  0.277    5  0.344    7 0.5290    5  4.017    1  0.554   12  0.133
KNICKS        38 22 7033 6705  0.015 29.120    6  0.298    6  0.295    6  0.341    5 0.5323   20  3.962    8  0.269    6  0.413
ROCKETS       37 21 6653 6329  0.023 28.137    5  0.314    5  0.312    7  0.301    6 0.5322   28  3.906   17 -0.056    4  0.658
HORNETS       29 31 6970 6802 -0.014 28.841   20 -0.042   20 -0.055    8  0.286   20 0.4945   21  3.962    9  0.213    7  0.358
NUGGETS       37 22 7111 6829 -0.009 28.194    8  0.264    8  0.262    9  0.251    8 0.5269    6  4.016    5  0.459   15  0.042
TIMBERWOLVES  37 23 7150 6881 -0.032 28.156    9  0.220    9  0.218   10  0.232    9 0.5229   11  3.997    7  0.340   13  0.124
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HEAT          31 29 7195 7031  0.031 29.901   16  0.061   16  0.052   11  0.165   16 0.5056    2  4.036    3  0.478   18 -0.149
WARRIORS      31 28 6834 6716  0.025 29.355   15  0.080   15  0.074   12  0.146   15 0.5074   18  3.968   11  0.104   11  0.187
RAPTORS       34 25 6704 6595  0.005 28.956   12  0.178   12  0.174   13  0.114   12 0.5180   25  3.929   22 -0.127    8  0.354
CLIPPERS      27 31 6477 6510  0.035 29.433   19 -0.035   19 -0.043   14  0.048   19 0.4954   26  3.918   24 -0.248    9  0.344
SUNS          34 26 6727 6681  0.034 30.229   11  0.186   11  0.183   15  0.023   11 0.5187   27  3.915   25 -0.291   10  0.337
76ERS         33 26 6885 6841 -0.018 28.615   13  0.121   13  0.120   16  0.017   13 0.5125   13  3.984   14  0.055   16 -0.022
MAGIC         31 27 6668 6646  0.025 29.105   14  0.101   14  0.099   17 -0.004   14 0.5097   19  3.963   18 -0.075   14  0.066
HAWKS         30 31 7143 7176  0.009 30.378   18 -0.004   18 -0.009   18 -0.030   18 0.4992    7  4.014   10  0.168   21 -0.229
LAKERS        34 24 6698 6722 -0.006 28.548   10  0.187   10  0.192   19 -0.064   10 0.5210   12  3.995   16  0.031   19 -0.159
TRAIL BLAZERS 29 31 6951 7094  0.050 31.048   17  0.016   17  0.014   20 -0.112   17 0.5012    8  4.008   15  0.054   22 -0.278
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         26 31 6404 6578 -0.013 28.391   21 -0.106   21 -0.100   21 -0.188   21 0.4896   22  3.950   26 -0.322   17 -0.054
GRIZZLIES     21 36 6578 6732 -0.033 27.888   23 -0.330   23 -0.328   22 -0.235   23 0.4664   10  4.000   21 -0.110   24 -0.359
MAVERICKS     21 37 6642 6836 -0.059 27.967   24 -0.356   24 -0.352   23 -0.243   24 0.4630   14  3.983   23 -0.207   23 -0.279
PELICANS      18 42 6903 7220 -0.006 30.216   26 -0.463   26 -0.455   24 -0.249   26 0.4524    9  4.006   19 -0.093   25 -0.405
BULLS         24 36 6944 7227 -0.025 29.812   22 -0.236   22 -0.228   25 -0.368   22 0.4741    3  4.026   20 -0.109   27 -0.628
JAZZ          18 41 6960 7429 -0.008 30.147   25 -0.438   25 -0.424   26 -0.484   25 0.4539    1  4.079   12  0.061   30 -1.030
PACERS        15 45 6689 7168 -0.036 30.212   29 -0.578   29 -0.585   27 -0.508   30 0.4394   16  3.980   28 -0.491   26 -0.524
NETS          15 43 6204 6672 -0.033 29.092   28 -0.564   28 -0.568   28 -0.586   28 0.4420   30  3.902   30 -0.964   20 -0.208
KINGS         14 47 6734 7388  0.018 32.078   30 -0.590   30 -0.595   29 -0.656   29 0.4405   15  3.980   29 -0.638   28 -0.674
WIZARDS       16 42 6492 7123 -0.072 28.611   27 -0.562   27 -0.556   30 -0.700   27 0.4431    4  4.018   27 -0.483   29 -0.917

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      31 28 6834 6716  0.025 29.355   15  0.080   15  0.074   12  0.146   15 0.5074   18  3.968   11  0.104   11  0.187
CLIPPERS      27 31 6477 6510  0.035 29.433   19 -0.035   19 -0.043   14  0.048   19 0.4954   26  3.918   24 -0.248    9  0.344
SUNS          34 26 6727 6681  0.034 30.229   11  0.186   11  0.183   15  0.023   11 0.5187   27  3.915   25 -0.291   10  0.337
LAKERS        34 24 6698 6722 -0.006 28.548   10  0.187   10  0.192   19 -0.064   10 0.5210   12  3.995   16  0.031   19 -0.159
KINGS         14 47 6734 7388  0.018 32.078   30 -0.590   30 -0.595   29 -0.656   29 0.4405   15  3.980   29 -0.638   28 -0.674

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       45 15 7161 6480  0.043 28.929    1  0.588    1  0.596    1  0.674    1 0.5603   24  3.937    4  0.473    1  0.876
NUGGETS       37 22 7111 6829 -0.009 28.194    8  0.264    8  0.262    9  0.251    8 0.5269    6  4.016    5  0.459   15  0.042
TIMBERWOLVES  37 23 7150 6881 -0.032 28.156    9  0.220    9  0.218   10  0.232    9 0.5229   11  3.997    7  0.340   13  0.124
TRAIL BLAZERS 29 31 6951 7094  0.050 31.048   17  0.016   17  0.014   20 -0.112   17 0.5012    8  4.008   15  0.054   22 -0.278
JAZZ          18 41 6960 7429 -0.008 30.147   25 -0.438   25 -0.424   26 -0.484   25 0.4539    1  4.079   12  0.061   30 -1.030

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         43 17 7102 6717  0.062 29.773    3  0.530    3  0.537    3  0.482    3 0.5543   17  3.979    2  0.498    5  0.467
ROCKETS       37 21 6653 6329  0.023 28.137    5  0.314    5  0.312    7  0.301    6 0.5322   28  3.906   17 -0.056    4  0.658
GRIZZLIES     21 36 6578 6732 -0.033 27.888   23 -0.330   23 -0.328   22 -0.235   23 0.4664   10  4.000   21 -0.110   24 -0.359
MAVERICKS     21 37 6642 6836 -0.059 27.967   24 -0.356   24 -0.352   23 -0.243   24 0.4630   14  3.983   23 -0.207   23 -0.279
PELICANS      18 42 6903 7220 -0.006 30.216   26 -0.463   26 -0.455   24 -0.249   26 0.4524    9  4.006   19 -0.093   25 -0.405

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       43 14 6693 6243  0.002 27.018    2  0.553    2  0.561    2  0.540    2 0.5586   23  3.948    6  0.395    3  0.686
CAVALIERS     37 23 7167 6904  0.029 29.504    7  0.278    7  0.277    5  0.344    7 0.5290    5  4.017    1  0.554   12  0.133
BUCKS         26 31 6404 6578 -0.013 28.391   21 -0.106   21 -0.100   21 -0.188   21 0.4896   22  3.950   26 -0.322   17 -0.054
BULLS         24 36 6944 7227 -0.025 29.812   22 -0.236   22 -0.228   25 -0.368   22 0.4741    3  4.026   20 -0.109   27 -0.628
PACERS        15 45 6689 7168 -0.036 30.212   29 -0.578   29 -0.585   27 -0.508   30 0.4394   16  3.980   28 -0.491   26 -0.524

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       29 31 6970 6802 -0.014 28.841   20 -0.042   20 -0.055    8  0.286   20 0.4945   21  3.962    9  0.213    7  0.358
HEAT          31 29 7195 7031  0.031 29.901   16  0.061   16  0.052   11  0.165   16 0.5056    2  4.036    3  0.478   18 -0.149
MAGIC         31 27 6668 6646  0.025 29.105   14  0.101   14  0.099   17 -0.004   14 0.5097   19  3.963   18 -0.075   14  0.066
HAWKS         30 31 7143 7176  0.009 30.378   18 -0.004   18 -0.009   18 -0.030   18 0.4992    7  4.014   10  0.168   21 -0.229
WIZARDS       16 42 6492 7123 -0.072 28.611   27 -0.562   27 -0.556   30 -0.700   27 0.4431    4  4.018   27 -0.483   29 -0.917

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       38 20 6637 6234  0.000 27.591    4  0.331    4  0.327    4  0.435    4 0.5366   29  3.902   13  0.061    2  0.810
KNICKS        38 22 7033 6705  0.015 29.120    6  0.298    6  0.295    6  0.341    5 0.5323   20  3.962    8  0.269    6  0.413
RAPTORS       34 25 6704 6595  0.005 28.956   12  0.178   12  0.174   13  0.114   12 0.5180   25  3.929   22 -0.127    8  0.354
76ERS         33 26 6885 6841 -0.018 28.615   13  0.121   13  0.120   16  0.017   13 0.5125   13  3.984   14  0.055   16 -0.022
NETS          15 43 6204 6672 -0.033 29.092   28 -0.564   28 -0.568   28 -0.586   28 0.4420   30  3.902   30 -0.964   20 -0.208

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 166 132 0.557    1  0.156
ATLANTIC DIVISION  158 136 0.537    2  0.095
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 140 153 0.478    3  0.001
CENTRAL DIVISION   145 149 0.493    4 -0.064
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 137 160 0.461    5 -0.071
PACIFIC DIVISION   140 156 0.473    6 -0.100

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Feb 27 05:30:11 2026
games through: Thu Feb 26 2026

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