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       4 0 484 453 -0.066  1.739    1  0.135    1  0.156    2  0.136    1 0.5774   30  3.873   30 -0.477    1  0.749 P
76ERS         3 0 378 361  0.019  1.457    2  0.101    2  0.119   13  0.034    3 0.5590    2  4.068    1  0.430   26 -0.362 P
SPURS         4 0 484 418 -0.366  1.258    3  0.091    5  0.100    7  0.083    8 0.5338   29  3.896   29 -0.416    2  0.582 P
CAVALIERS     3 1 476 451  0.167  2.127    4  0.089    3  0.102    3  0.134    2 0.5626   16  3.989   10  0.110    7  0.158 P
WARRIORS      3 1 506 497  0.154  2.172    5  0.086    4  0.101    8  0.075    4 0.5545    7  4.037    5  0.301   21 -0.152 P
BULLS         3 0 353 332 -0.322  1.049    6  0.078    6  0.085   16 -0.000    5 0.5535   18  3.976   20 -0.095    9  0.094 P
KNICKS        2 1 331 321  0.411  1.948    7  0.071    7  0.082    6  0.100    7 0.5408   28  3.915   28 -0.305    4  0.505 P
NUGGETS       2 1 391 362  0.130  1.523    8  0.055    8  0.058    4  0.129    6 0.5467   10  4.025    6  0.293   19 -0.034 P
BUCKS         2 1 368 354  0.030  1.436    9  0.047   10  0.048    9  0.065    9 0.5323   12  4.006    9  0.130   16 -0.001 P
HEAT          2 1 382 346  0.102  1.532   10  0.045    9  0.049    5  0.113   10 0.5296    5  4.047    3  0.395   22 -0.169 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CLIPPERS      2 1 351 338 -0.067  1.335   11  0.045   11  0.042   10  0.063   11 0.5228   24  3.968   19 -0.070    5  0.196 P
TIMBERWOLVES  2 2 456 479  0.084  2.135   12  0.028   13  0.026   18 -0.007   14 0.5049   15  3.992   16 -0.017   15  0.003 P
PISTONS       2 2 440 455  0.259  2.456   13  0.024   12  0.029   19 -0.037   13 0.5052   26  3.958   24 -0.220    8  0.147 P
JAZZ          2 1 371 347 -0.146  1.271   14  0.022   14  0.019   14  0.003   15 0.5017   17  3.983   17 -0.051   11  0.058 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 2 2 482 459  0.125  2.155   15  0.010   15  0.006   12  0.035   12 0.5055   14  4.001   12  0.075   17 -0.004 P
HORNETS       2 1 396 355 -0.228  1.170   16  0.007   16  0.001   17 -0.005   16 0.5012    6  4.041    7  0.245   24 -0.254 P
LAKERS        2 2 472 471 -0.054  1.871   17  0.005   17 -0.001   15  0.001   17 0.4959   13  4.004   14  0.052   20 -0.049 P
GRIZZLIES     2 2 488 502 -0.138  1.791   18  0.002   18 -0.007   20 -0.042   19 0.4792    4  4.064    4  0.327   28 -0.412 P
CELTICS       1 3 446 431  0.154  2.099   19 -0.023   19 -0.041    1  0.141   18 0.4815   27  3.922   25 -0.228    3  0.510 P
ROCKETS       1 2 372 349 -0.059  1.320   20 -0.026   20 -0.043   11  0.059   20 0.4709   21  3.972   18 -0.056    6  0.175 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SUNS          1 3 467 516  0.155  2.369   21 -0.033   21 -0.047   25 -0.094   21 0.4700    9  4.031   11  0.100   25 -0.288 P
KINGS         1 2 341 351 -0.181  1.262   22 -0.041   22 -0.050   21 -0.044   23 0.4606   20  3.974   21 -0.146   10  0.058 P
WIZARDS       1 2 350 379 -0.120  1.462   23 -0.049   23 -0.059   30 -0.167   25 0.4547    8  4.036   13  0.056   27 -0.390 P
RAPTORS       1 3 486 500 -0.027  1.982   24 -0.063   24 -0.077   23 -0.062   26 0.4546    1  4.082    2  0.406   29 -0.531 P
HAWKS         1 3 452 490 -0.077  1.955   25 -0.089   25 -0.079   26 -0.122   24 0.4599   11  4.018   15  0.005   23 -0.248 P
MAGIC         1 3 454 478 -0.114  1.875   26 -0.110   26 -0.084   24 -0.088   22 0.4612   22  3.971   23 -0.209   13  0.032 P
MAVERICKS     1 3 432 472 -0.290  1.640   27 -0.115   28 -0.098   28 -0.137   28 0.4411   25  3.965   27 -0.286   14  0.013 P
PACERS        0 3 348 383  0.114  1.678   28 -0.119   27 -0.094   22 -0.062   27 0.4420   19  3.975   22 -0.158   12  0.033 P
PELICANS      0 3 328 370  0.063  1.655   29 -0.131   29 -0.107   27 -0.135   30 0.4069   23  3.970   26 -0.257   18 -0.012 P
NETS          0 4 457 522  0.271  2.577   30 -0.142   30 -0.118   29 -0.156   29 0.4252    3  4.068    8  0.238   30 -0.551 P

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      3 1 506 497  0.154  2.172    5  0.086    4  0.101    8  0.075    4 0.5545    7  4.037    5  0.301   21 -0.152 P
CLIPPERS      2 1 351 338 -0.067  1.335   11  0.045   11  0.042   10  0.063   11 0.5228   24  3.968   19 -0.070    5  0.196 P
LAKERS        2 2 472 471 -0.054  1.871   17  0.005   17 -0.001   15  0.001   17 0.4959   13  4.004   14  0.052   20 -0.049 P
SUNS          1 3 467 516  0.155  2.369   21 -0.033   21 -0.047   25 -0.094   21 0.4700    9  4.031   11  0.100   25 -0.288 P
KINGS         1 2 341 351 -0.181  1.262   22 -0.041   22 -0.050   21 -0.044   23 0.4606   20  3.974   21 -0.146   10  0.058 P

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       4 0 484 453 -0.066  1.739    1  0.135    1  0.156    2  0.136    1 0.5774   30  3.873   30 -0.477    1  0.749 P
NUGGETS       2 1 391 362  0.130  1.523    8  0.055    8  0.058    4  0.129    6 0.5467   10  4.025    6  0.293   19 -0.034 P
TIMBERWOLVES  2 2 456 479  0.084  2.135   12  0.028   13  0.026   18 -0.007   14 0.5049   15  3.992   16 -0.017   15  0.003 P
JAZZ          2 1 371 347 -0.146  1.271   14  0.022   14  0.019   14  0.003   15 0.5017   17  3.983   17 -0.051   11  0.058 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 2 2 482 459  0.125  2.155   15  0.010   15  0.006   12  0.035   12 0.5055   14  4.001   12  0.075   17 -0.004 P

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         4 0 484 418 -0.366  1.258    3  0.091    5  0.100    7  0.083    8 0.5338   29  3.896   29 -0.416    2  0.582 P
GRIZZLIES     2 2 488 502 -0.138  1.791   18  0.002   18 -0.007   20 -0.042   19 0.4792    4  4.064    4  0.327   28 -0.412 P
ROCKETS       1 2 372 349 -0.059  1.320   20 -0.026   20 -0.043   11  0.059   20 0.4709   21  3.972   18 -0.056    6  0.175 P
MAVERICKS     1 3 432 472 -0.290  1.640   27 -0.115   28 -0.098   28 -0.137   28 0.4411   25  3.965   27 -0.286   14  0.013 P
PELICANS      0 3 328 370  0.063  1.655   29 -0.131   29 -0.107   27 -0.135   30 0.4069   23  3.970   26 -0.257   18 -0.012 P

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     3 1 476 451  0.167  2.127    4  0.089    3  0.102    3  0.134    2 0.5626   16  3.989   10  0.110    7  0.158 P
BULLS         3 0 353 332 -0.322  1.049    6  0.078    6  0.085   16 -0.000    5 0.5535   18  3.976   20 -0.095    9  0.094 P
BUCKS         2 1 368 354  0.030  1.436    9  0.047   10  0.048    9  0.065    9 0.5323   12  4.006    9  0.130   16 -0.001 P
PISTONS       2 2 440 455  0.259  2.456   13  0.024   12  0.029   19 -0.037   13 0.5052   26  3.958   24 -0.220    8  0.147 P
PACERS        0 3 348 383  0.114  1.678   28 -0.119   27 -0.094   22 -0.062   27 0.4420   19  3.975   22 -0.158   12  0.033 P

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
HEAT          2 1 382 346  0.102  1.532   10  0.045    9  0.049    5  0.113   10 0.5296    5  4.047    3  0.395   22 -0.169 P
HORNETS       2 1 396 355 -0.228  1.170   16  0.007   16  0.001   17 -0.005   16 0.5012    6  4.041    7  0.245   24 -0.254 P
WIZARDS       1 2 350 379 -0.120  1.462   23 -0.049   23 -0.059   30 -0.167   25 0.4547    8  4.036   13  0.056   27 -0.390 P
HAWKS         1 3 452 490 -0.077  1.955   25 -0.089   25 -0.079   26 -0.122   24 0.4599   11  4.018   15  0.005   23 -0.248 P
MAGIC         1 3 454 478 -0.114  1.875   26 -0.110   26 -0.084   24 -0.088   22 0.4612   22  3.971   23 -0.209   13  0.032 P

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
76ERS         3 0 378 361  0.019  1.457    2  0.101    2  0.119   13  0.034    3 0.5590    2  4.068    1  0.430   26 -0.362 P
KNICKS        2 1 331 321  0.411  1.948    7  0.071    7  0.082    6  0.100    7 0.5408   28  3.915   28 -0.305    4  0.505 P
CELTICS       1 3 446 431  0.154  2.099   19 -0.023   19 -0.041    1  0.141   18 0.4815   27  3.922   25 -0.228    3  0.510 P
RAPTORS       1 3 486 500 -0.027  1.982   24 -0.063   24 -0.077   23 -0.062   26 0.4546    1  4.082    2  0.406   29 -0.531 P
NETS          0 4 457 522  0.271  2.577   30 -0.142   30 -0.118   29 -0.156   29 0.4252    3  4.068    8  0.238   30 -0.551 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 12  6 0.667    1  0.235
CENTRAL DIVISION   10  7 0.588    2  0.072
ATLANTIC DIVISION   7 11 0.389    3  0.057
PACIFIC DIVISION    9  9 0.500    4 -0.007
SOUTHWEST DIVISION  8 10 0.444    5 -0.135
SOUTHEAST DIVISION  7 10 0.412    6 -0.194

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Oct 28 05:30:12 2025
games through: Mon Oct 27 2025

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