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       66 18  9999  9037  0.067 40.887    1  0.772    1  0.768    1  0.780    1 0.5705   26  3.932    3  0.549    1  1.012
SPURS         64 22 10273  9581  0.067 42.354    2  0.655    2  0.652    2  0.642    2 0.5606   14  3.983    1  0.674    6  0.609
PISTONS       61 23  9856  9183  0.015 39.817    3  0.543    3  0.541    3  0.567    3 0.5523   25  3.938    7  0.369    3  0.765
CELTICS       58 27  9746  9089  0.031 40.922    4  0.460    4  0.448    4  0.566    4 0.5434   29  3.901   12  0.182    2  0.949
LAKERS        56 29  9860  9696  0.017 41.852    5  0.412    5  0.410   13  0.209    5 0.5382   15  3.978   11  0.217   11  0.202
NUGGETS       55 30 10336  9925  0.031 41.544    6  0.378    6  0.370    7  0.346    6 0.5356    5  4.027    2  0.607   15  0.085
KNICKS        55 31 10000  9461  0.039 41.979    7  0.365    7  0.353    5  0.445    7 0.5334   24  3.940    9  0.257    5  0.633
CAVALIERS     54 31 10146  9807  0.009 41.160    8  0.335    8  0.330   10  0.246    8 0.5312    8  4.015    5  0.443   17  0.050
ROCKETS       52 33  9749  9341  0.016 41.073    9  0.283    9  0.272    8  0.273    9 0.5267   28  3.906   21 -0.088    4  0.633
TIMBERWOLVES  51 34 10013  9727  0.017 41.492   10  0.254   10  0.243   12  0.212   10 0.5236   13  3.986    8  0.258   12  0.166
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HAWKS         48 37 10032  9843  0.035 42.304   11  0.195   11  0.181    9  0.261   11 0.5167    9  4.009    6  0.429   14  0.093
MAGIC         47 39  9904  9837  0.037 43.291   12  0.153   12  0.145   16  0.075   13 0.5131   19  3.963   15  0.004   13  0.145
RAPTORS       47 38  9744  9513  0.026 41.965   13  0.152   13  0.140   11  0.242   12 0.5132   22  3.941   13  0.059    8  0.424
76ERS         47 39  9913  9942  0.009 42.749   14  0.135   14  0.134   19 -0.034   15 0.5117   17  3.973   18 -0.053   18 -0.016
SUNS          46 40  9644  9561  0.045 43.444   15  0.129   15  0.126   17  0.072   14 0.5119   27  3.916   23 -0.237    9  0.380
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.012 40.583   16  0.087   16  0.080    6  0.413   16 0.5071   21  3.944   10  0.245    7  0.582
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.026 41.086   17  0.057   17  0.057   14  0.104   17 0.5046    2  4.059    4  0.536   20 -0.328
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 42  9895  9937  0.019 43.048   18  0.049   18  0.053   18  0.055   18 0.5044   16  3.977   14  0.054   16  0.056
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.011 40.262   19  0.005   19 -0.001   15  0.099   19 0.4998   23  3.941   20 -0.086   10  0.284
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.014 41.939   20 -0.091   20 -0.097   20 -0.148   20 0.4903   18  3.965   22 -0.208   19 -0.089
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.050 40.570   21 -0.282   21 -0.281   25 -0.548   21 0.4719   20  3.951   29 -0.682   21 -0.415
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.039 40.559   22 -0.301   22 -0.306   22 -0.422   22 0.4691    3  4.041   19 -0.085   27 -0.759
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.037 40.672   24 -0.465   23 -0.467   23 -0.423   24 0.4551   11  3.994   24 -0.336   24 -0.510
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.022 40.771   23 -0.461   24 -0.468   21 -0.239   23 0.4561    7  4.015   17 -0.041   23 -0.437
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.038 40.694   25 -0.502   25 -0.509   27 -0.585   25 0.4521    6  4.019   25 -0.365   28 -0.805
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.043 41.116   26 -0.584   26 -0.591   26 -0.584   26 0.4443    1  4.079   16 -0.041   29 -1.128
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.050 41.195   27 -0.594   27 -0.595   28 -0.669   27 0.4442   12  3.988   28 -0.612   26 -0.726
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.063 40.990   28 -0.672   28 -0.675   29 -0.810   28 0.4374   30  3.899   30 -1.203   22 -0.417
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.042 41.126   29 -0.678   29 -0.689   24 -0.502   29 0.4352   10  3.998   26 -0.391   25 -0.613
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.072 41.060   30 -0.789   30 -0.801   30 -0.829   30 0.4284    4  4.038   27 -0.509   30 -1.150

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        56 29  9860  9696  0.017 41.852    5  0.412    5  0.410   13  0.209    5 0.5382   15  3.978   11  0.217   11  0.202
SUNS          46 40  9644  9561  0.045 43.444   15  0.129   15  0.126   17  0.072   14 0.5119   27  3.916   23 -0.237    9  0.380
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.011 40.262   19  0.005   19 -0.001   15  0.099   19 0.4998   23  3.941   20 -0.086   10  0.284
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.014 41.939   20 -0.091   20 -0.097   20 -0.148   20 0.4903   18  3.965   22 -0.208   19 -0.089
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.050 41.195   27 -0.594   27 -0.595   28 -0.669   27 0.4442   12  3.988   28 -0.612   26 -0.726

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       66 18  9999  9037  0.067 40.887    1  0.772    1  0.768    1  0.780    1 0.5705   26  3.932    3  0.549    1  1.012
NUGGETS       55 30 10336  9925  0.031 41.544    6  0.378    6  0.370    7  0.346    6 0.5356    5  4.027    2  0.607   15  0.085
TIMBERWOLVES  51 34 10013  9727  0.017 41.492   10  0.254   10  0.243   12  0.212   10 0.5236   13  3.986    8  0.258   12  0.166
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 42  9895  9937  0.019 43.048   18  0.049   18  0.053   18  0.055   18 0.5044   16  3.977   14  0.054   16  0.056
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.043 41.116   26 -0.584   26 -0.591   26 -0.584   26 0.4443    1  4.079   16 -0.041   29 -1.128

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         64 22 10273  9581  0.067 42.354    2  0.655    2  0.652    2  0.642    2 0.5606   14  3.983    1  0.674    6  0.609
ROCKETS       52 33  9749  9341  0.016 41.073    9  0.283    9  0.272    8  0.273    9 0.5267   28  3.906   21 -0.088    4  0.633
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.037 40.672   24 -0.465   23 -0.467   23 -0.423   24 0.4551   11  3.994   24 -0.336   24 -0.510
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.022 40.771   23 -0.461   24 -0.468   21 -0.239   23 0.4561    7  4.015   17 -0.041   23 -0.437
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.038 40.694   25 -0.502   25 -0.509   27 -0.585   25 0.4521    6  4.019   25 -0.365   28 -0.805

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       61 23  9856  9183  0.015 39.817    3  0.543    3  0.541    3  0.567    3 0.5523   25  3.938    7  0.369    3  0.765
CAVALIERS     54 31 10146  9807  0.009 41.160    8  0.335    8  0.330   10  0.246    8 0.5312    8  4.015    5  0.443   17  0.050
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.050 40.570   21 -0.282   21 -0.281   25 -0.548   21 0.4719   20  3.951   29 -0.682   21 -0.415
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.039 40.559   22 -0.301   22 -0.306   22 -0.422   22 0.4691    3  4.041   19 -0.085   27 -0.759
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.042 41.126   29 -0.678   29 -0.689   24 -0.502   29 0.4352   10  3.998   26 -0.391   25 -0.613

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
HAWKS         48 37 10032  9843  0.035 42.304   11  0.195   11  0.181    9  0.261   11 0.5167    9  4.009    6  0.429   14  0.093
MAGIC         47 39  9904  9837  0.037 43.291   12  0.153   12  0.145   16  0.075   13 0.5131   19  3.963   15  0.004   13  0.145
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.012 40.583   16  0.087   16  0.080    6  0.413   16 0.5071   21  3.944   10  0.245    7  0.582
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.026 41.086   17  0.057   17  0.057   14  0.104   17 0.5046    2  4.059    4  0.536   20 -0.328
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.072 41.060   30 -0.789   30 -0.801   30 -0.829   30 0.4284    4  4.038   27 -0.509   30 -1.150

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       58 27  9746  9089  0.031 40.922    4  0.460    4  0.448    4  0.566    4 0.5434   29  3.901   12  0.182    2  0.949
KNICKS        55 31 10000  9461  0.039 41.979    7  0.365    7  0.353    5  0.445    7 0.5334   24  3.940    9  0.257    5  0.633
RAPTORS       47 38  9744  9513  0.026 41.965   13  0.152   13  0.140   11  0.242   12 0.5132   22  3.941   13  0.059    8  0.424
76ERS         47 39  9913  9942  0.009 42.749   14  0.135   14  0.134   19 -0.034   15 0.5117   17  3.973   18 -0.053   18 -0.016
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.063 40.990   28 -0.672   28 -0.675   29 -0.810   28 0.4374   30  3.899   30 -1.203   22 -0.417

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 238 184 0.564    1  0.175
ATLANTIC DIVISION  227 197 0.535    2  0.104
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 200 220 0.476    3 -0.010
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 193 224 0.463    4 -0.056
PACIFIC DIVISION   204 216 0.486    5 -0.087
CENTRAL DIVISION   197 218 0.475    6 -0.134

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.152 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: Sat Apr 25 05:30:16 2026
games through: Fri Apr 24 2026

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