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       31  7 4615 4107 -0.037 17.068    1  0.616    1  0.633    1  0.695    1 0.5679   27  3.939    2  0.469    1  0.922
PISTONS       28  9 4386 4129 -0.046 17.089    2  0.483    2  0.487    4  0.379    2 0.5561   21  3.957    9  0.245    4  0.514
SPURS         26 12 4516 4317  0.033 18.661    3  0.397    3  0.397    5  0.314    3 0.5466   12  3.984    5  0.318    7  0.310
NUGGETS       25 12 4591 4368  0.029 18.081    4  0.355    4  0.352    6  0.306    4 0.5388    2  4.058    1  0.701   19 -0.089
LAKERS        23 12 4072 4080 -0.006 17.347    5  0.329    5  0.325   18 -0.064    5 0.5387   11  3.999   15  0.014   22 -0.142
KNICKS        25 13 4553 4369 -0.002 18.418    6  0.319    6  0.314    8  0.230    7 0.5348    9  4.013    4  0.382   14  0.078
ROCKETS       22 12 4042 3765  0.054 16.692    7  0.307    7  0.302    2  0.439    6 0.5366   26  3.940   10  0.215    2  0.663
CELTICS       23 13 4232 3980  0.005 17.297    8  0.269    8  0.264    3  0.402    8 0.5327   22  3.957    6  0.266    3  0.538
TIMBERWOLVES  24 13 4426 4220 -0.057 16.931    9  0.250    9  0.245    7  0.285    9 0.5289   14  3.979    7  0.263    8  0.307
SUNS          22 15 4248 4159  0.042 18.579   10  0.225   10  0.221    9  0.198   10 0.5246   25  3.944   16 -0.002    5  0.398
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
RAPTORS       23 15 4333 4251 -0.037 18.162   11  0.186   11  0.179   13  0.077   11 0.5179   29  3.927   22 -0.211    6  0.365
MAGIC         21 17 4430 4379  0.053 19.468   12  0.148   12  0.140   14  0.067   12 0.5164   18  3.967   17 -0.018   11  0.152
76ERS         20 15 4117 4067 -0.032 16.821   13  0.124   13  0.119   15  0.057   13 0.5140   16  3.977   14  0.026   13  0.088
HEAT          20 17 4444 4344  0.056 18.908   14  0.124   14  0.113   10  0.149   14 0.5132    4  4.033    3  0.407   21 -0.109
CAVALIERS     21 17 4530 4437 -0.025 18.255   15  0.095   15  0.084   12  0.099   16 0.5076    8  4.015    8  0.262   18 -0.065
WARRIORS      20 18 4369 4318  0.040 19.237   16  0.091   16  0.078   11  0.112   15 0.5082   23  3.953   18 -0.044    9  0.268
TRAIL BLAZERS 18 20 4427 4526  0.076 20.228   17  0.023   17  0.017   21 -0.092   17 0.5024    7  4.017   13  0.081   23 -0.264
HAWKS         18 21 4619 4655  0.016 19.686   18 -0.058   18 -0.067   17 -0.051   18 0.4951    5  4.029   12  0.189   24 -0.292
BULLS         17 20 4333 4485 -0.078 17.791   19 -0.129   19 -0.128   25 -0.323   20 0.4836    6  4.024   21 -0.113   26 -0.533
GRIZZLIES     16 21 4263 4316 -0.015 18.357   20 -0.153   20 -0.153   19 -0.074   19 0.4855   15  3.979   20 -0.097   16 -0.051
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         16 21 4193 4279 -0.092 17.384   21 -0.207   21 -0.207   23 -0.209   21 0.4769   20  3.960   26 -0.328   20 -0.090
CLIPPERS      13 23 4035 4120  0.084 19.224   22 -0.220   22 -0.218   16 -0.009   22 0.4745   28  3.933   23 -0.267   10  0.250
MAVERICKS     14 23 4185 4327 -0.044 18.282   23 -0.273   23 -0.267   24 -0.218   24 0.4680   24  3.949   27 -0.393   15 -0.043
JAZZ          12 24 4311 4575  0.054 19.407   24 -0.280   24 -0.271   26 -0.345   23 0.4692    1  4.087   11  0.205   30 -0.895
HORNETS       13 24 4274 4340 -0.036 18.063   25 -0.315   25 -0.317   20 -0.075   25 0.4629   13  3.981   19 -0.086   17 -0.065
NETS          11 23 3715 3875 -0.012 17.128   26 -0.348   26 -0.345   22 -0.208   26 0.4568   30  3.913   28 -0.566   12  0.151
WIZARDS       10 26 4085 4472 -0.032 18.364   27 -0.474   27 -0.465   29 -0.557   27 0.4458    3  4.036   24 -0.280   29 -0.835
KINGS          8 29 4068 4501  0.063 20.465   28 -0.519   28 -0.513   30 -0.632   28 0.4439   17  3.968   30 -0.714   27 -0.549
PELICANS       8 31 4464 4784 -0.001 20.091   29 -0.621   29 -0.624   27 -0.463   29 0.4327   10  4.011   25 -0.321   28 -0.605
PACERS         6 31 4098 4429 -0.046 18.804   30 -0.744   30 -0.762   28 -0.512   30 0.4183   19  3.965   29 -0.607   25 -0.417

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        23 12 4072 4080 -0.006 17.347    5  0.329    5  0.325   18 -0.064    5 0.5387   11  3.999   15  0.014   22 -0.142
SUNS          22 15 4248 4159  0.042 18.579   10  0.225   10  0.221    9  0.198   10 0.5246   25  3.944   16 -0.002    5  0.398
WARRIORS      20 18 4369 4318  0.040 19.237   16  0.091   16  0.078   11  0.112   15 0.5082   23  3.953   18 -0.044    9  0.268
CLIPPERS      13 23 4035 4120  0.084 19.224   22 -0.220   22 -0.218   16 -0.009   22 0.4745   28  3.933   23 -0.267   10  0.250
KINGS          8 29 4068 4501  0.063 20.465   28 -0.519   28 -0.513   30 -0.632   28 0.4439   17  3.968   30 -0.714   27 -0.549

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       31  7 4615 4107 -0.037 17.068    1  0.616    1  0.633    1  0.695    1 0.5679   27  3.939    2  0.469    1  0.922
NUGGETS       25 12 4591 4368  0.029 18.081    4  0.355    4  0.352    6  0.306    4 0.5388    2  4.058    1  0.701   19 -0.089
TIMBERWOLVES  24 13 4426 4220 -0.057 16.931    9  0.250    9  0.245    7  0.285    9 0.5289   14  3.979    7  0.263    8  0.307
TRAIL BLAZERS 18 20 4427 4526  0.076 20.228   17  0.023   17  0.017   21 -0.092   17 0.5024    7  4.017   13  0.081   23 -0.264
JAZZ          12 24 4311 4575  0.054 19.407   24 -0.280   24 -0.271   26 -0.345   23 0.4692    1  4.087   11  0.205   30 -0.895

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         26 12 4516 4317  0.033 18.661    3  0.397    3  0.397    5  0.314    3 0.5466   12  3.984    5  0.318    7  0.310
ROCKETS       22 12 4042 3765  0.054 16.692    7  0.307    7  0.302    2  0.439    6 0.5366   26  3.940   10  0.215    2  0.663
GRIZZLIES     16 21 4263 4316 -0.015 18.357   20 -0.153   20 -0.153   19 -0.074   19 0.4855   15  3.979   20 -0.097   16 -0.051
MAVERICKS     14 23 4185 4327 -0.044 18.282   23 -0.273   23 -0.267   24 -0.218   24 0.4680   24  3.949   27 -0.393   15 -0.043
PELICANS       8 31 4464 4784 -0.001 20.091   29 -0.621   29 -0.624   27 -0.463   29 0.4327   10  4.011   25 -0.321   28 -0.605

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       28  9 4386 4129 -0.046 17.089    2  0.483    2  0.487    4  0.379    2 0.5561   21  3.957    9  0.245    4  0.514
CAVALIERS     21 17 4530 4437 -0.025 18.255   15  0.095   15  0.084   12  0.099   16 0.5076    8  4.015    8  0.262   18 -0.065
BULLS         17 20 4333 4485 -0.078 17.791   19 -0.129   19 -0.128   25 -0.323   20 0.4836    6  4.024   21 -0.113   26 -0.533
BUCKS         16 21 4193 4279 -0.092 17.384   21 -0.207   21 -0.207   23 -0.209   21 0.4769   20  3.960   26 -0.328   20 -0.090
PACERS         6 31 4098 4429 -0.046 18.804   30 -0.744   30 -0.762   28 -0.512   30 0.4183   19  3.965   29 -0.607   25 -0.417

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         21 17 4430 4379  0.053 19.468   12  0.148   12  0.140   14  0.067   12 0.5164   18  3.967   17 -0.018   11  0.152
HEAT          20 17 4444 4344  0.056 18.908   14  0.124   14  0.113   10  0.149   14 0.5132    4  4.033    3  0.407   21 -0.109
HAWKS         18 21 4619 4655  0.016 19.686   18 -0.058   18 -0.067   17 -0.051   18 0.4951    5  4.029   12  0.189   24 -0.292
HORNETS       13 24 4274 4340 -0.036 18.063   25 -0.315   25 -0.317   20 -0.075   25 0.4629   13  3.981   19 -0.086   17 -0.065
WIZARDS       10 26 4085 4472 -0.032 18.364   27 -0.474   27 -0.465   29 -0.557   27 0.4458    3  4.036   24 -0.280   29 -0.835

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        25 13 4553 4369 -0.002 18.418    6  0.319    6  0.314    8  0.230    7 0.5348    9  4.013    4  0.382   14  0.078
CELTICS       23 13 4232 3980  0.005 17.297    8  0.269    8  0.264    3  0.402    8 0.5327   22  3.957    6  0.266    3  0.538
RAPTORS       23 15 4333 4251 -0.037 18.162   11  0.186   11  0.179   13  0.077   11 0.5179   29  3.927   22 -0.211    6  0.365
76ERS         20 15 4117 4067 -0.032 16.821   13  0.124   13  0.119   15  0.057   13 0.5140   16  3.977   14  0.026   13  0.088
NETS          11 23 3715 3875 -0.012 17.128   26 -0.348   26 -0.345   22 -0.208   26 0.4568   30  3.913   28 -0.566   12  0.151

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 110  76 0.591    1  0.223
ATLANTIC DIVISION  102  79 0.564    2  0.134
SOUTHWEST DIVISION  86  99 0.465    3  0.000
PACIFIC DIVISION    86  97 0.470    4 -0.094
SOUTHEAST DIVISION  82 105 0.439    5 -0.113
CENTRAL DIVISION    88  98 0.473    6 -0.145

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.176 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: Thu Jan  8 05:30:11 2026
games through: Wed Jan  7 2026

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