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
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.054 41.215   26 -0.586   26 -0.603   26 -0.586   26 0.4434    1  4.081   15 -0.023   29 -1.149
HEAT          43 40 10037  9847  0.016 41.198   17  0.056   17  0.047   14  0.091   17 0.5037    2  4.061    4  0.544   20 -0.362
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.048 40.712   22 -0.301   22 -0.317   22 -0.424   22 0.4683    3  4.043   18 -0.066   27 -0.782
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.084 41.150   30 -0.791   30 -0.814   30 -0.829   30 0.4275    4  4.040   27 -0.488   30 -1.170
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.029 43.503    7  0.360    7  0.344    7  0.302    7 0.5332    5  4.023    3  0.556   15  0.049
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.049 40.806   25 -0.501   25 -0.520   27 -0.588   25 0.4512    6  4.021   25 -0.349   28 -0.827
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.033 40.886   23 -0.461   24 -0.479   21 -0.245   23 0.4552    7  4.016   16 -0.028   23 -0.462
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.039 44.667   11  0.163   11  0.144   13  0.110   13 0.5124    8  4.009    8  0.288   18 -0.067
CAVALIERS     56 35 10782 10452  0.024 45.062    8  0.310    8  0.295    9  0.232    8 0.5277    9  4.006    6  0.392   14  0.072
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.052 41.265   29 -0.678   29 -0.700   24 -0.503   29 0.4344   10  4.000   26 -0.371   25 -0.634
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.047 40.789   24 -0.464   23 -0.477   23 -0.428   24 0.4542   11  3.995   24 -0.321   24 -0.535
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.061 41.289   27 -0.595   27 -0.606   28 -0.670   27 0.4432   12  3.990   28 -0.594   26 -0.747
TIMBERWOLVES  54 37 10655 10396  0.038 45.678   10  0.268   10  0.249   11  0.191   10 0.5242   13  3.979   10  0.210   12  0.171
SPURS         68 23 10851 10076  0.064 45.101    2  0.681    2  0.660    2  0.705    2 0.5612   14  3.977    1  0.715    5  0.694
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.022 44.703   18  0.033   18  0.028   18  0.004   18 0.5021   15  3.974   14 -0.001   16  0.010
LAKERS        57 33 10344 10221  0.040 45.627    6  0.380    6  0.370   12  0.180    6 0.5343   16  3.969   11  0.152   11  0.208
76ERS         50 43 10631 10713  0.038 47.790   14  0.152   13  0.142   19 -0.042   14 0.5115   17  3.969   19 -0.073   17 -0.011
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.004 42.055   20 -0.093   20 -0.107   20 -0.156   20 0.4893   18  3.967   22 -0.197   19 -0.114
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.055 46.926   12  0.159   12  0.143   16  0.061   12 0.5128   19  3.955   17 -0.041   13  0.163
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.060 40.677   21 -0.282   21 -0.292   25 -0.553   21 0.4710   20  3.953   29 -0.666   22 -0.439
TEAM           W  L    PF    PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.003 40.708   16  0.086   16  0.072    6  0.400   16 0.5062   21  3.946    9  0.251    7  0.548
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.021 40.367   19  0.004   19 -0.011   15  0.090   19 0.4988   22  3.942   20 -0.077   10  0.256
KNICKS        61 31 10733 10039  0.035 44.982    4  0.432    4  0.407    3  0.621    4 0.5390   23  3.937    5  0.427    4  0.816
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.028 44.527   13  0.157   14  0.137   10  0.217   11 0.5130   24  3.936   13  0.018    8  0.416
THUNDER       70 18 10484  9465  0.063 43.159    1  0.816    1  0.798    1  0.804    1 0.5729   25  3.936    2  0.605    1  1.003
PISTONS       66 25 10592  9870  0.014 43.658    3  0.559    3  0.543    4  0.572    3 0.5526   26  3.925    7  0.321    3  0.824
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.050 45.113   15  0.111   15  0.101   17  0.057   15 0.5093   27  3.922   23 -0.210    9  0.323
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.074 41.105   28 -0.673   28 -0.687   29 -0.810   28 0.4365   28  3.901   30 -1.184   21 -0.437
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.019 43.017    5  0.410    5  0.389    5  0.488    5 0.5385   29  3.899   12  0.105    2  0.870
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628  0.009 42.773    9  0.290    9  0.271    8  0.253    9 0.5271   30  3.899   21 -0.132    6  0.638

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
KINGS         22 60  9102  9922 -0.061 41.289   27 -0.595   27 -0.606   28 -0.670   27 0.4432   12  3.990   28 -0.594   26 -0.747
LAKERS        57 33 10344 10221  0.040 45.627    6  0.380    6  0.370   12  0.180    6 0.5343   16  3.969   11  0.152   11  0.208
WARRIORS      38 46  9620  9676  0.004 42.055   20 -0.093   20 -0.107   20 -0.156   20 0.4893   18  3.967   22 -0.197   19 -0.114
CLIPPERS      42 41  9450  9362 -0.021 40.367   19  0.004   19 -0.011   15  0.090   19 0.4988   22  3.942   20 -0.077   10  0.256
SUNS          46 42  9875  9813  0.050 45.113   15  0.111   15  0.101   17  0.057   15 0.5093   27  3.922   23 -0.210    9  0.323

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
JAZZ          22 60  9642 10333 -0.054 41.215   26 -0.586   26 -0.603   26 -0.586   26 0.4434    1  4.081   15 -0.023   29 -1.149
NUGGETS       56 32 10655 10260  0.029 43.503    7  0.360    7  0.344    7  0.302    7 0.5332    5  4.023    3  0.556   15  0.049
TIMBERWOLVES  54 37 10655 10396  0.038 45.678   10  0.268   10  0.249   11  0.191   10 0.5242   13  3.979   10  0.210   12  0.171
TRAIL BLAZERS 44 44 10083 10165  0.022 44.703   18  0.033   18  0.028   18  0.004   18 0.5021   15  3.974   14 -0.001   16  0.010
THUNDER       70 18 10484  9465  0.063 43.159    1  0.816    1  0.798    1  0.804    1 0.5729   25  3.936    2  0.605    1  1.003

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
GRIZZLIES     25 57  9403  9896 -0.049 40.806   25 -0.501   25 -0.520   27 -0.588   25 0.4512    6  4.021   25 -0.349   28 -0.827
PELICANS      26 56  9473  9842 -0.033 40.886   23 -0.461   24 -0.479   21 -0.245   23 0.4552    7  4.016   16 -0.028   23 -0.462
MAVERICKS     26 56  9358  9810 -0.047 40.789   24 -0.464   23 -0.477   23 -0.428   24 0.4542   11  3.995   24 -0.321   24 -0.535
SPURS         68 23 10851 10076  0.064 45.101    2  0.681    2  0.660    2  0.705    2 0.5612   14  3.977    1  0.715    5  0.694
ROCKETS       54 34 10041  9628  0.009 42.773    9  0.290    9  0.271    8  0.253    9 0.5271   30  3.899   21 -0.132    6  0.638

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
BULLS         31 51  9537  9964 -0.048 40.712   22 -0.301   22 -0.317   22 -0.424   22 0.4683    3  4.043   18 -0.066   27 -0.782
CAVALIERS     56 35 10782 10452  0.024 45.062    8  0.310    8  0.295    9  0.232    8 0.5277    9  4.006    6  0.392   14  0.072
PACERS        19 63  9219  9874 -0.052 41.265   29 -0.678   29 -0.700   24 -0.503   29 0.4344   10  4.000   26 -0.371   25 -0.634
BUCKS         32 50  9072  9581 -0.060 40.677   21 -0.282   21 -0.292   25 -0.553   21 0.4710   20  3.953   29 -0.666   22 -0.439
PISTONS       66 25 10592  9870  0.014 43.658    3  0.559    3  0.543    4  0.572    3 0.5526   26  3.925    7  0.321    3  0.824

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          43 40 10037  9847  0.016 41.198   17  0.056   17  0.047   14  0.091   17 0.5037    2  4.061    4  0.544   20 -0.362
WIZARDS       17 65  9257 10240 -0.084 41.150   30 -0.791   30 -0.814   30 -0.829   30 0.4275    4  4.040   27 -0.488   30 -1.170
HAWKS         48 40 10316 10223  0.039 44.667   11  0.163   11  0.144   13  0.110   13 0.5124    8  4.009    8  0.288   18 -0.067
MAGIC         49 42 10393 10355  0.055 46.926   12  0.159   12  0.143   16  0.061   12 0.5128   19  3.955   17 -0.041   13  0.163
HORNETS       45 39  9730  9364  0.003 40.708   16  0.086   16  0.072    6  0.400   16 0.5062   21  3.946    9  0.251    7  0.548

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         50 43 10631 10713  0.038 47.790   14  0.152   13  0.142   19 -0.042   14 0.5115   17  3.969   19 -0.073   17 -0.011
KNICKS        61 31 10733 10039  0.035 44.982    4  0.432    4  0.407    3  0.621    4 0.5390   23  3.937    5  0.427    4  0.816
RAPTORS       49 40 10171  9951  0.028 44.527   13  0.157   14  0.137   10  0.217   11 0.5130   24  3.936   13  0.018    8  0.416
NETS          20 62  8686  9505 -0.074 41.105   28 -0.673   28 -0.687   29 -0.810   28 0.4365   28  3.901   30 -1.184   21 -0.437
CELTICS       59 30 10164  9513  0.019 43.017    5  0.410    5  0.389    5  0.488    5 0.5385   29  3.899   12  0.105    2  0.870

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 246 191 0.563    1  0.159
ATLANTIC DIVISION  239 206 0.537    2  0.107
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 202 226 0.472    3 -0.034
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 199 226 0.468    4 -0.059
PACIFIC DIVISION   205 222 0.480    5 -0.099
CENTRAL DIVISION   204 224 0.477    6 -0.142

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.152 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 May  9 05:30:23 2026
games through: Fri May  8 2026

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