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       82 21 12286 11061  0.101 53.119    1  0.874    1  0.844    1  0.846    1 0.5761   17  3.953    2  0.811    1  0.880
CAVALIERS     69 22 11074 10187  0.006 43.829    2  0.676    2  0.640    2  0.581    2 0.5598    5  4.025    1  0.921   10  0.240
CELTICS       67 26 10697  9889 -0.001 44.703    3  0.558    3  0.524    3  0.502    3 0.5499   25  3.915    8  0.276    2  0.729
PACERS        64 38 11940 11704  0.059 52.854    4  0.380    4  0.361    6  0.336    4 0.5349    8  3.996    5  0.525   12  0.147
ROCKETS       55 34 10100  9730  0.059 45.817    5  0.343    5  0.324    7  0.251    5 0.5310   23  3.925   15  0.077    6  0.424
NUGGETS       57 39 11400 11149  0.103 51.126    6  0.326    6  0.311    9  0.228    7 0.5289    4  4.025    4  0.570   16 -0.114
TIMBERWOLVES  58 39 11008 10558  0.094 50.778    7  0.322    7  0.299    4  0.437    6 0.5295   24  3.916   10  0.219    4  0.655
KNICKS        61 39 11466 11130  0.035 50.728    8  0.314    8  0.294   10  0.222    8 0.5283   20  3.943   12  0.135    8  0.308
CLIPPERS      53 36 10014  9628  0.050 45.383    9  0.287    9  0.260    5  0.388    9 0.5252   27  3.893   16  0.052    3  0.725
WARRIORS      54 41 10688 10449  0.070 49.738   10  0.250   11  0.224    8  0.241   11 0.5205   22  3.929   14  0.087    7  0.395
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        51 36  9800  9735  0.025 44.504   11  0.248   10  0.229   14  0.105   10 0.5213   19  3.945   17  0.029   11  0.180
GRIZZLIES     49 39 10618 10289  0.050 44.924   12  0.196   12  0.166   12  0.168   13 0.5156    1  4.059    3  0.692   22 -0.357
BUCKS         50 38 10120  9939 -0.007 43.594   13  0.174   13  0.148   13  0.123   12 0.5158   15  3.969   11  0.171   14  0.076
PISTONS       46 42 10111  9963  0.002 44.003   14  0.059   14  0.041   11  0.172   14 0.5050   14  3.971    9  0.231   13  0.113
MAVERICKS     40 44  9590  9688  0.011 43.004   15 -0.014   15 -0.035   21 -0.206   15 0.4950   10  3.985   19 -0.076   21 -0.336
KINGS         40 43  9596  9571 -0.014 41.391   16 -0.027   16 -0.054   15 -0.025   17 0.4939    9  3.985   13  0.106   18 -0.156
MAGIC         43 45  9233  9282 -0.034 43.508   17 -0.030   17 -0.056   16 -0.053   16 0.4946   30  3.817   28 -0.756    5  0.649
HAWKS         40 44  9900 10027 -0.053 41.192   18 -0.073   18 -0.095   20 -0.109   18 0.4904    2  4.054    7  0.388   27 -0.605
BULLS         39 44  9750  9897 -0.058 40.620   19 -0.104   19 -0.123   17 -0.074   19 0.4886    3  4.050    6  0.402   26 -0.550
SUNS          36 46  9317  9563 -0.011 41.732   20 -0.132   20 -0.150   23 -0.221   20 0.4849   11  3.982   20 -0.107   20 -0.335
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HEAT          39 49  9683  9731 -0.024 43.801   21 -0.144   21 -0.164   19 -0.088   21 0.4846   28  3.886   24 -0.457    9  0.282
TRAIL BLAZERS 36 46  9093  9336 -0.023 41.393   22 -0.148   22 -0.165   18 -0.076   22 0.4841   21  3.937   21 -0.189   15  0.037
SPURS         34 48  9342  9568 -0.019 41.436   23 -0.195   23 -0.215   22 -0.216   23 0.4781    7  3.997   18 -0.024   23 -0.408
RAPTORS       30 52  9091  9443 -0.066 40.503   24 -0.360   24 -0.382   24 -0.302   24 0.4639   16  3.953   22 -0.335   19 -0.270
NETS          26 56  8619  9202 -0.067 41.146   25 -0.470   25 -0.485   26 -0.548   25 0.4533   29  3.875   29 -0.970   17 -0.127
76ERS         24 58  8988  9499 -0.076 40.648   26 -0.537   26 -0.564   25 -0.512   26 0.4463   18  3.950   26 -0.563   25 -0.461
PELICANS      21 61  9006  9779 -0.028 42.637   27 -0.600   27 -0.624   27 -0.611   27 0.4421   13  3.977   25 -0.522   28 -0.699
HORNETS       19 63  8618  9365 -0.096 40.708   28 -0.710   28 -0.739   29 -0.734   28 0.4311   26  3.895   30 -1.057   24 -0.411
JAZZ          17 65  9175  9941 -0.028 42.563   29 -0.724   29 -0.755   28 -0.635   29 0.4301    6  4.009   23 -0.379   29 -0.891
WIZARDS       18 64  8856  9876 -0.089 41.399   30 -0.739   30 -0.764   30 -0.822   30 0.4296   12  3.978   27 -0.726   30 -0.918
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING

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
CLIPPERS      53 36 10014  9628  0.050 45.383    9  0.287    9  0.260    5  0.388    9 0.5252   27  3.893   16  0.052    3  0.725
WARRIORS      54 41 10688 10449  0.070 49.738   10  0.250   11  0.224    8  0.241   11 0.5205   22  3.929   14  0.087    7  0.395
LAKERS        51 36  9800  9735  0.025 44.504   11  0.248   10  0.229   14  0.105   10 0.5213   19  3.945   17  0.029   11  0.180
KINGS         40 43  9596  9571 -0.014 41.391   16 -0.027   16 -0.054   15 -0.025   17 0.4939    9  3.985   13  0.106   18 -0.156
SUNS          36 46  9317  9563 -0.011 41.732   20 -0.132   20 -0.150   23 -0.221   20 0.4849   11  3.982   20 -0.107   20 -0.335

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       82 21 12286 11061  0.101 53.119    1  0.874    1  0.844    1  0.846    1 0.5761   17  3.953    2  0.811    1  0.880
NUGGETS       57 39 11400 11149  0.103 51.126    6  0.326    6  0.311    9  0.228    7 0.5289    4  4.025    4  0.570   16 -0.114
TIMBERWOLVES  58 39 11008 10558  0.094 50.778    7  0.322    7  0.299    4  0.437    6 0.5295   24  3.916   10  0.219    4  0.655
TRAIL BLAZERS 36 46  9093  9336 -0.023 41.393   22 -0.148   22 -0.165   18 -0.076   22 0.4841   21  3.937   21 -0.189   15  0.037
JAZZ          17 65  9175  9941 -0.028 42.563   29 -0.724   29 -0.755   28 -0.635   29 0.4301    6  4.009   23 -0.379   29 -0.891

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
ROCKETS       55 34 10100  9730  0.059 45.817    5  0.343    5  0.324    7  0.251    5 0.5310   23  3.925   15  0.077    6  0.424
GRIZZLIES     49 39 10618 10289  0.050 44.924   12  0.196   12  0.166   12  0.168   13 0.5156    1  4.059    3  0.692   22 -0.357
MAVERICKS     40 44  9590  9688  0.011 43.004   15 -0.014   15 -0.035   21 -0.206   15 0.4950   10  3.985   19 -0.076   21 -0.336
SPURS         34 48  9342  9568 -0.019 41.436   23 -0.195   23 -0.215   22 -0.216   23 0.4781    7  3.997   18 -0.024   23 -0.408
PELICANS      21 61  9006  9779 -0.028 42.637   27 -0.600   27 -0.624   27 -0.611   27 0.4421   13  3.977   25 -0.522   28 -0.699

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
CAVALIERS     69 22 11074 10187  0.006 43.829    2  0.676    2  0.640    2  0.581    2 0.5598    5  4.025    1  0.921   10  0.240
PACERS        64 38 11940 11704  0.059 52.854    4  0.380    4  0.361    6  0.336    4 0.5349    8  3.996    5  0.525   12  0.147
BUCKS         50 38 10120  9939 -0.007 43.594   13  0.174   13  0.148   13  0.123   12 0.5158   15  3.969   11  0.171   14  0.076
PISTONS       46 42 10111  9963  0.002 44.003   14  0.059   14  0.041   11  0.172   14 0.5050   14  3.971    9  0.231   13  0.113
BULLS         39 44  9750  9897 -0.058 40.620   19 -0.104   19 -0.123   17 -0.074   19 0.4886    3  4.050    6  0.402   26 -0.550

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         43 45  9233  9282 -0.034 43.508   17 -0.030   17 -0.056   16 -0.053   16 0.4946   30  3.817   28 -0.756    5  0.649
HAWKS         40 44  9900 10027 -0.053 41.192   18 -0.073   18 -0.095   20 -0.109   18 0.4904    2  4.054    7  0.388   27 -0.605
HEAT          39 49  9683  9731 -0.024 43.801   21 -0.144   21 -0.164   19 -0.088   21 0.4846   28  3.886   24 -0.457    9  0.282
HORNETS       19 63  8618  9365 -0.096 40.708   28 -0.710   28 -0.739   29 -0.734   28 0.4311   26  3.895   30 -1.057   24 -0.411
WIZARDS       18 64  8856  9876 -0.089 41.399   30 -0.739   30 -0.764   30 -0.822   30 0.4296   12  3.978   27 -0.726   30 -0.918

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       67 26 10697  9889 -0.001 44.703    3  0.558    3  0.524    3  0.502    3 0.5499   25  3.915    8  0.276    2  0.729
KNICKS        61 39 11466 11130  0.035 50.728    8  0.314    8  0.294   10  0.222    8 0.5283   20  3.943   12  0.135    8  0.308
RAPTORS       30 52  9091  9443 -0.066 40.503   24 -0.360   24 -0.382   24 -0.302   24 0.4639   16  3.953   22 -0.335   19 -0.270
NETS          26 56  8619  9202 -0.067 41.146   25 -0.470   25 -0.485   26 -0.548   25 0.4533   29  3.875   29 -0.970   17 -0.127
76ERS         24 58  8988  9499 -0.076 40.648   26 -0.537   26 -0.564   25 -0.512   26 0.4463   18  3.950   26 -0.563   25 -0.461

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
CENTRAL DIVISION   268 184 0.593    1  0.194
NORTHWEST DIVISION 250 210 0.543    2  0.152
PACIFIC DIVISION   234 202 0.537    3  0.094
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 199 226 0.468    4 -0.063
ATLANTIC DIVISION  208 231 0.474    5 -0.121
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 159 265 0.375    6 -0.401

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Sat Jun 14 05:30:15 2025
games through: Fri Jun 13 2025

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