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       40 12 6249 5609  0.027 24.752    1  0.595    1  0.604    1  0.717    1 0.5618   24  3.936    1  0.505    1  0.930
PISTONS       38 13 5991 5593 -0.046 23.366    2  0.480    2  0.479    2  0.471    2 0.5528   23  3.946    6  0.310    3  0.632
SPURS         35 17 6092 5835  0.072 26.219    3  0.428    3  0.425    4  0.348    3 0.5442   18  3.966    7  0.288    5  0.408
CELTICS       34 18 6011 5635 -0.027 24.244    4  0.298    4  0.288    3  0.424    4 0.5339   28  3.920   11  0.133    2  0.716
KNICKS        34 19 6232 5950 -0.016 25.207    5  0.288    5  0.281    5  0.292    5 0.5320   16  3.970    8  0.256    7  0.327
NUGGETS       33 19 6245 6044 -0.024 24.735    6  0.265    6  0.260   12  0.121    8 0.5274    7  4.014    5  0.313   16 -0.072
ROCKETS       31 19 5760 5504  0.015 24.272    7  0.264    7  0.253    8  0.220    7 0.5277   29  3.915   20 -0.098    4  0.539
LAKERS        31 19 5818 5808 -0.021 24.314    9  0.235    8  0.244   18 -0.028    6 0.5279   11  3.999   14  0.085   19 -0.141
SUNS          31 21 5917 5795  0.037 26.038    8  0.238    9  0.236   10  0.181    9 0.5248   26  3.933   18 -0.043    6  0.405
CAVALIERS     31 21 6210 6018  0.022 25.662   10  0.213   10  0.216    6  0.277   10 0.5244    6  4.019    2  0.493   14  0.061
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  32 21 6335 6086 -0.017 25.149   11  0.193   11  0.192    7  0.267   11 0.5206   10  3.999    4  0.380   12  0.154
RAPTORS       31 22 6041 5957 -0.014 25.729   12  0.169   12  0.172   15  0.062   12 0.5187   25  3.935   23 -0.153    9  0.278
76ERS         29 22 5957 5883 -0.029 24.470   13  0.122   13  0.124   14  0.066   13 0.5142   13  3.976   15  0.061   13  0.072
WARRIORS      28 24 6028 5909  0.024 25.851   14  0.099   14  0.097   11  0.167   14 0.5101   17  3.967   12  0.111   11  0.223
MAGIC         26 24 5752 5776  0.041 25.536   15  0.075   15  0.078   19 -0.079   15 0.5078   15  3.972   21 -0.105   15 -0.053
HEAT          27 26 6331 6235  0.062 27.195   16  0.068   16  0.064   13  0.116   16 0.5071    2  4.037    3  0.432   21 -0.199
HAWKS         26 27 6227 6269  0.034 26.960   17  0.010   17  0.009   17 -0.024   17 0.5027    4  4.022    9  0.208   24 -0.256
TRAIL BLAZERS 24 28 6013 6139  0.058 27.148   18 -0.025   18 -0.026   20 -0.108   18 0.4965    9  4.006   16  0.039   23 -0.255
CLIPPERS      24 27 5728 5766  0.015 25.570   19 -0.040   19 -0.048   16  0.015   19 0.4950   27  3.926   24 -0.247   10  0.276
HORNETS       24 28 6023 5923 -0.022 25.005   20 -0.088   20 -0.102    9  0.215   20 0.4897   21  3.963   10  0.140    8  0.289
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BULLS         24 28 6083 6251 -0.049 25.221   21 -0.117   21 -0.112   23 -0.248   21 0.4867    3  4.029   17  0.024   27 -0.519
BUCKS         21 29 5600 5786 -0.039 24.555   22 -0.196   22 -0.197   24 -0.283   22 0.4793   22  3.949   27 -0.429   18 -0.136
GRIZZLIES     20 30 5765 5868 -0.026 24.542   23 -0.232   23 -0.238   21 -0.159   23 0.4740   12  3.995   19 -0.067   22 -0.251
MAVERICKS     19 32 5813 5958 -0.060 24.515   24 -0.308   24 -0.316   22 -0.184   24 0.4644   19  3.965   25 -0.248   17 -0.120
JAZZ          16 36 6151 6593  0.015 27.074   25 -0.389   25 -0.383   27 -0.502   25 0.4568    1  4.088   13  0.085   30 -1.088
PELICANS      14 40 6186 6526  0.029 28.041   26 -0.505   26 -0.505   25 -0.292   26 0.4459    8  4.007   22 -0.137   26 -0.448
WIZARDS       14 36 5616 6129 -0.055 24.936   27 -0.513   27 -0.507   30 -0.589   27 0.4458    5  4.021   26 -0.362   29 -0.816
NETS          13 37 5346 5748 -0.011 25.324   28 -0.518   28 -0.519   28 -0.548   28 0.4441   30  3.900   30 -0.941   20 -0.156
PACERS        13 39 5757 6157 -0.011 26.654   29 -0.541   29 -0.544   26 -0.421   29 0.4413   20  3.963   28 -0.492   25 -0.350
KINGS         12 41 5855 6382  0.029 28.107   30 -0.568   30 -0.569   29 -0.551   30 0.4411   14  3.974   29 -0.570   28 -0.531

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        31 19 5818 5808 -0.021 24.314    9  0.235    8  0.244   18 -0.028    6 0.5279   11  3.999   14  0.085   19 -0.141
SUNS          31 21 5917 5795  0.037 26.038    8  0.238    9  0.236   10  0.181    9 0.5248   26  3.933   18 -0.043    6  0.405
WARRIORS      28 24 6028 5909  0.024 25.851   14  0.099   14  0.097   11  0.167   14 0.5101   17  3.967   12  0.111   11  0.223
CLIPPERS      24 27 5728 5766  0.015 25.570   19 -0.040   19 -0.048   16  0.015   19 0.4950   27  3.926   24 -0.247   10  0.276
KINGS         12 41 5855 6382  0.029 28.107   30 -0.568   30 -0.569   29 -0.551   30 0.4411   14  3.974   29 -0.570   28 -0.531

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       40 12 6249 5609  0.027 24.752    1  0.595    1  0.604    1  0.717    1 0.5618   24  3.936    1  0.505    1  0.930
NUGGETS       33 19 6245 6044 -0.024 24.735    6  0.265    6  0.260   12  0.121    8 0.5274    7  4.014    5  0.313   16 -0.072
TIMBERWOLVES  32 21 6335 6086 -0.017 25.149   11  0.193   11  0.192    7  0.267   11 0.5206   10  3.999    4  0.380   12  0.154
TRAIL BLAZERS 24 28 6013 6139  0.058 27.148   18 -0.025   18 -0.026   20 -0.108   18 0.4965    9  4.006   16  0.039   23 -0.255
JAZZ          16 36 6151 6593  0.015 27.074   25 -0.389   25 -0.383   27 -0.502   25 0.4568    1  4.088   13  0.085   30 -1.088

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         35 17 6092 5835  0.072 26.219    3  0.428    3  0.425    4  0.348    3 0.5442   18  3.966    7  0.288    5  0.408
ROCKETS       31 19 5760 5504  0.015 24.272    7  0.264    7  0.253    8  0.220    7 0.5277   29  3.915   20 -0.098    4  0.539
GRIZZLIES     20 30 5765 5868 -0.026 24.542   23 -0.232   23 -0.238   21 -0.159   23 0.4740   12  3.995   19 -0.067   22 -0.251
MAVERICKS     19 32 5813 5958 -0.060 24.515   24 -0.308   24 -0.316   22 -0.184   24 0.4644   19  3.965   25 -0.248   17 -0.120
PELICANS      14 40 6186 6526  0.029 28.041   26 -0.505   26 -0.505   25 -0.292   26 0.4459    8  4.007   22 -0.137   26 -0.448

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       38 13 5991 5593 -0.046 23.366    2  0.480    2  0.479    2  0.471    2 0.5528   23  3.946    6  0.310    3  0.632
CAVALIERS     31 21 6210 6018  0.022 25.662   10  0.213   10  0.216    6  0.277   10 0.5244    6  4.019    2  0.493   14  0.061
BULLS         24 28 6083 6251 -0.049 25.221   21 -0.117   21 -0.112   23 -0.248   21 0.4867    3  4.029   17  0.024   27 -0.519
BUCKS         21 29 5600 5786 -0.039 24.555   22 -0.196   22 -0.197   24 -0.283   22 0.4793   22  3.949   27 -0.429   18 -0.136
PACERS        13 39 5757 6157 -0.011 26.654   29 -0.541   29 -0.544   26 -0.421   29 0.4413   20  3.963   28 -0.492   25 -0.350

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         26 24 5752 5776  0.041 25.536   15  0.075   15  0.078   19 -0.079   15 0.5078   15  3.972   21 -0.105   15 -0.053
HEAT          27 26 6331 6235  0.062 27.195   16  0.068   16  0.064   13  0.116   16 0.5071    2  4.037    3  0.432   21 -0.199
HAWKS         26 27 6227 6269  0.034 26.960   17  0.010   17  0.009   17 -0.024   17 0.5027    4  4.022    9  0.208   24 -0.256
HORNETS       24 28 6023 5923 -0.022 25.005   20 -0.088   20 -0.102    9  0.215   20 0.4897   21  3.963   10  0.140    8  0.289
WIZARDS       14 36 5616 6129 -0.055 24.936   27 -0.513   27 -0.507   30 -0.589   27 0.4458    5  4.021   26 -0.362   29 -0.816

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       34 18 6011 5635 -0.027 24.244    4  0.298    4  0.288    3  0.424    4 0.5339   28  3.920   11  0.133    2  0.716
KNICKS        34 19 6232 5950 -0.016 25.207    5  0.288    5  0.281    5  0.292    5 0.5320   16  3.970    8  0.256    7  0.327
RAPTORS       31 22 6041 5957 -0.014 25.729   12  0.169   12  0.172   15  0.062   12 0.5187   25  3.935   23 -0.153    9  0.278
76ERS         29 22 5957 5883 -0.029 24.470   13  0.122   13  0.124   14  0.066   13 0.5142   13  3.976   15  0.061   13  0.072
NETS          13 37 5346 5748 -0.011 25.324   28 -0.518   28 -0.519   28 -0.548   28 0.4441   30  3.900   30 -0.941   20 -0.156

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 145 116 0.556    1  0.153
ATLANTIC DIVISION  141 118 0.544    2  0.089
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 119 138 0.463    3 -0.014
PACIFIC DIVISION   126 132 0.488    4 -0.059
CENTRAL DIVISION   127 130 0.494    5 -0.074
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 117 141 0.453    6 -0.090

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sat Feb  7 05:30:07 2026
games through: Fri Feb  6 2026

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