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       7 0 855 768 -0.182  2.556    1  0.309    1  0.339    3  0.271    1 0.5769   30  3.892   24 -0.231    1  0.772 P
BULLS         5 1 730 698  0.023  2.894    2  0.212    2  0.223   10  0.093    2 0.5664    8  4.031    6  0.303   18 -0.116 P
76ERS         5 1 754 709 -0.141  2.455    3  0.185    4  0.186   11  0.092    5 0.5366    4  4.041    4  0.356   22 -0.172 P
LAKERS        5 2 835 818  0.095  3.623    4  0.184    3  0.189    9  0.096    3 0.5499   14  4.005    8  0.168   13  0.024 P
SPURS         5 1 709 649 -0.237  2.217    5  0.156    5  0.151   12  0.088    9 0.5270   29  3.902   28 -0.364    3  0.539 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 4 2 727 700  0.144  3.225    6  0.139    6  0.136   13  0.082    4 0.5375    5  4.038    5  0.333   20 -0.168 P
PISTONS       4 2 697 681  0.100  3.127    7  0.135    7  0.135   16  0.037    6 0.5331   18  3.987   13  0.018   12  0.057 P
BUCKS         4 2 742 710 -0.055  2.671    8  0.116    9  0.100    8  0.111    8 0.5274    2  4.048    2  0.411   23 -0.188 P
WARRIORS      4 3 823 810  0.141  3.704    9  0.102    8  0.100    6  0.121   10 0.5269   21  3.968   14  0.002    7  0.239 P
ROCKETS       3 2 639 571  0.249  2.635   10  0.100   10  0.096    1  0.300   11 0.5247   13  4.005    3  0.375    8  0.225 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
NUGGETS       3 2 620 559  0.138  2.431   11  0.089   11  0.081    2  0.285   12 0.5228   22  3.968    9  0.165    4  0.405 P
KNICKS        3 3 695 693  0.283  3.560   12  0.083   13  0.076    7  0.118    7 0.5288   20  3.973   12  0.023    9  0.212 P
CAVALIERS     4 3 799 797  0.051  3.493   13  0.073   12  0.078   14  0.063   13 0.5188   26  3.952   21 -0.137    6  0.263 P
TIMBERWOLVES  3 3 693 700  0.111  3.167   14  0.044   14  0.043   15  0.056   14 0.5112   19  3.979   15 -0.007   11  0.120 P
CLIPPERS      3 2 556 560 -0.196  2.055   15  0.038   16  0.030   20 -0.040   17 0.5052   27  3.921   29 -0.397    5  0.318 P
HEAT          3 3 747 700  0.161  3.168   16  0.036   15  0.034    4  0.202   15 0.5097    1  4.049    1  0.510   17 -0.106 P
CELTICS       3 4 781 772  0.193  3.835   17  0.025   17  0.018    5  0.175   16 0.5073   28  3.908   25 -0.247    2  0.596 P
RAPTORS       3 4 836 844  0.061  3.609   18 -0.021   18 -0.039   18 -0.023   21 0.4861    3  4.046    7  0.265   26 -0.312 P
HAWKS         3 4 806 827  0.032  3.567   19 -0.050   19 -0.044   21 -0.072   19 0.4888   15  4.000   18 -0.026   19 -0.119 P
MAGIC         3 4 818 814 -0.001  3.395   20 -0.070   20 -0.058   17  0.009   20 0.4883   23  3.968   20 -0.111   10  0.129 P
TEAM          W L  PF  PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KINGS         2 4 690 717  0.157  3.368   21 -0.080   21 -0.064   19 -0.039   18 0.4925   16  3.997   16 -0.007   16 -0.071 P
GRIZZLIES     3 4 818 849 -0.126  3.192   22 -0.084   22 -0.076   23 -0.134   23 0.4702   11  4.012   17 -0.022   24 -0.246 P
SUNS          3 4 828 844 -0.107  3.168   23 -0.102   23 -0.083   22 -0.074   22 0.4722   10  4.024   11  0.099   25 -0.247 P
HORNETS       3 4 851 847 -0.230  2.892   24 -0.144   24 -0.133   24 -0.145   24 0.4530    6  4.038   10  0.102   27 -0.391 P
JAZZ          2 4 704 727 -0.132  2.675   25 -0.171   25 -0.151   25 -0.181   25 0.4523   17  3.989   22 -0.193   21 -0.170 P
MAVERICKS     2 4 649 699 -0.325  2.375   26 -0.191   26 -0.185   27 -0.258   26 0.4485   25  3.954   30 -0.450   15 -0.066 P
PACERS        1 5 675 727 -0.068  2.879   27 -0.236   27 -0.229   26 -0.183   27 0.4370   24  3.963   27 -0.327   14 -0.038 P
WIZARDS       1 5 686 770 -0.131  2.964   28 -0.264   28 -0.261   30 -0.408   28 0.4266    9  4.025   23 -0.227   29 -0.589 P
PELICANS      0 6 646 755  0.153  3.618   29 -0.289   29 -0.290   29 -0.358   29 0.4169   12  4.010   26 -0.259   28 -0.458 P
NETS          0 6 674 768 -0.009  3.219   30 -0.323   30 -0.334   28 -0.353   30 0.4003    7  4.037   19 -0.108   30 -0.598 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
LAKERS        5 2 835 818  0.095  3.623    4  0.184    3  0.189    9  0.096    3 0.5499   14  4.005    8  0.168   13  0.024 P
WARRIORS      4 3 823 810  0.141  3.704    9  0.102    8  0.100    6  0.121   10 0.5269   21  3.968   14  0.002    7  0.239 P
CLIPPERS      3 2 556 560 -0.196  2.055   15  0.038   16  0.030   20 -0.040   17 0.5052   27  3.921   29 -0.397    5  0.318 P
KINGS         2 4 690 717  0.157  3.368   21 -0.080   21 -0.064   19 -0.039   18 0.4925   16  3.997   16 -0.007   16 -0.071 P
SUNS          3 4 828 844 -0.107  3.168   23 -0.102   23 -0.083   22 -0.074   22 0.4722   10  4.024   11  0.099   25 -0.247 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       7 0 855 768 -0.182  2.556    1  0.309    1  0.339    3  0.271    1 0.5769   30  3.892   24 -0.231    1  0.772 P
TRAIL BLAZERS 4 2 727 700  0.144  3.225    6  0.139    6  0.136   13  0.082    4 0.5375    5  4.038    5  0.333   20 -0.168 P
NUGGETS       3 2 620 559  0.138  2.431   11  0.089   11  0.081    2  0.285   12 0.5228   22  3.968    9  0.165    4  0.405 P
TIMBERWOLVES  3 3 693 700  0.111  3.167   14  0.044   14  0.043   15  0.056   14 0.5112   19  3.979   15 -0.007   11  0.120 P
JAZZ          2 4 704 727 -0.132  2.675   25 -0.171   25 -0.151   25 -0.181   25 0.4523   17  3.989   22 -0.193   21 -0.170 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         5 1 709 649 -0.237  2.217    5  0.156    5  0.151   12  0.088    9 0.5270   29  3.902   28 -0.364    3  0.539 P
ROCKETS       3 2 639 571  0.249  2.635   10  0.100   10  0.096    1  0.300   11 0.5247   13  4.005    3  0.375    8  0.225 P
GRIZZLIES     3 4 818 849 -0.126  3.192   22 -0.084   22 -0.076   23 -0.134   23 0.4702   11  4.012   17 -0.022   24 -0.246 P
MAVERICKS     2 4 649 699 -0.325  2.375   26 -0.191   26 -0.185   27 -0.258   26 0.4485   25  3.954   30 -0.450   15 -0.066 P
PELICANS      0 6 646 755  0.153  3.618   29 -0.289   29 -0.290   29 -0.358   29 0.4169   12  4.010   26 -0.259   28 -0.458 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
BULLS         5 1 730 698  0.023  2.894    2  0.212    2  0.223   10  0.093    2 0.5664    8  4.031    6  0.303   18 -0.116 P
PISTONS       4 2 697 681  0.100  3.127    7  0.135    7  0.135   16  0.037    6 0.5331   18  3.987   13  0.018   12  0.057 P
BUCKS         4 2 742 710 -0.055  2.671    8  0.116    9  0.100    8  0.111    8 0.5274    2  4.048    2  0.411   23 -0.188 P
CAVALIERS     4 3 799 797  0.051  3.493   13  0.073   12  0.078   14  0.063   13 0.5188   26  3.952   21 -0.137    6  0.263 P
PACERS        1 5 675 727 -0.068  2.879   27 -0.236   27 -0.229   26 -0.183   27 0.4370   24  3.963   27 -0.327   14 -0.038 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          3 3 747 700  0.161  3.168   16  0.036   15  0.034    4  0.202   15 0.5097    1  4.049    1  0.510   17 -0.106 P
HAWKS         3 4 806 827  0.032  3.567   19 -0.050   19 -0.044   21 -0.072   19 0.4888   15  4.000   18 -0.026   19 -0.119 P
MAGIC         3 4 818 814 -0.001  3.395   20 -0.070   20 -0.058   17  0.009   20 0.4883   23  3.968   20 -0.111   10  0.129 P
HORNETS       3 4 851 847 -0.230  2.892   24 -0.144   24 -0.133   24 -0.145   24 0.4530    6  4.038   10  0.102   27 -0.391 P
WIZARDS       1 5 686 770 -0.131  2.964   28 -0.264   28 -0.261   30 -0.408   28 0.4266    9  4.025   23 -0.227   29 -0.589 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         5 1 754 709 -0.141  2.455    3  0.185    4  0.186   11  0.092    5 0.5366    4  4.041    4  0.356   22 -0.172 P
KNICKS        3 3 695 693  0.283  3.560   12  0.083   13  0.076    7  0.118    7 0.5288   20  3.973   12  0.023    9  0.212 P
CELTICS       3 4 781 772  0.193  3.835   17  0.025   17  0.018    5  0.175   16 0.5073   28  3.908   25 -0.247    2  0.596 P
RAPTORS       3 4 836 844  0.061  3.609   18 -0.021   18 -0.039   18 -0.023   21 0.4861    3  4.046    7  0.265   26 -0.312 P
NETS          0 6 674 768 -0.009  3.219   30 -0.323   30 -0.334   28 -0.353   30 0.4003    7  4.037   19 -0.108   30 -0.598 P

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 19 11 0.633    1  0.250
CENTRAL DIVISION   18 13 0.581    2  0.066
PACIFIC DIVISION   17 15 0.531    3  0.022
ATLANTIC DIVISION  14 18 0.438    4  0.018
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 13 17 0.433    5 -0.163
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 13 20 0.394    6 -0.163

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Nov  3 05:30:09 2025
games through: Sun Nov  2 2025

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