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       24  1 3091 2654 -0.082 10.485    1  0.906    1  0.964    1  0.948    1 0.5962   28  3.936    2  0.696    1  1.199
PISTONS       19  5 2849 2718 -0.063 10.984    2  0.541    2  0.552    8  0.231    2 0.5616   15  3.980    9  0.204    7  0.257
ROCKETS       16  6 2654 2429  0.095 10.820    3  0.484    3  0.476    2  0.574    3 0.5574   21  3.960    5  0.444    2  0.703
SPURS         17  7 2882 2770  0.032 11.902    4  0.443    4  0.443    7  0.266    4 0.5516    9  4.010    6  0.396   10  0.137
NUGGETS       18  6 3012 2781 -0.043 10.810    5  0.434    5  0.426    4  0.472    5 0.5499    2  4.060    1  0.865   13  0.080
LAKERS        17  7 2840 2803 -0.020 11.680    6  0.417    6  0.410   14  0.050    6 0.5494    8  4.011   10  0.184   19 -0.084
KNICKS        17  7 2893 2686 -0.018 11.144    7  0.396    7  0.387    3  0.481    7 0.5379   12  3.989    4  0.500    5  0.462
MAGIC         15 10 2945 2834  0.133 13.293    8  0.292    8  0.281    5  0.372    8 0.5306   17  3.972    7  0.303    6  0.441
CELTICS       15 10 2915 2770  0.047 12.369    9  0.221    9  0.199    6  0.344    9 0.5252   25  3.952   12  0.172    4  0.516
SUNS          14 11 2870 2861  0.074 13.040   10  0.195   10  0.175   13  0.090   10 0.5215   23  3.957   16 -0.054    8  0.234
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
TIMBERWOLVES  15  9 2871 2754 -0.096 10.677   11  0.189   11  0.166   11  0.185   11 0.5214   14  3.982   13  0.168    9  0.202
HEAT          14 11 3043 2955  0.087 12.996   12  0.186   12  0.165    9  0.217   12 0.5164    4  4.048    3  0.547   20 -0.113
HAWKS         14 11 2951 2912 -0.048 11.904   16  0.078   17  0.071   15  0.033   13 0.5133   11  3.991   14  0.063   18  0.003
WARRIORS      13 12 2837 2793  0.103 13.143   13  0.120   13  0.102   10  0.205   14 0.5128   30  3.915   19 -0.151    3  0.561
CAVALIERS     14 11 2964 2884 -0.023 12.014   14  0.111   14  0.097   12  0.137   15 0.5087   10  3.999    8  0.211   15  0.063
76ERS         13 10 2689 2671 -0.079 10.762   17  0.074   16  0.075   18 -0.040   16 0.5076   19  3.969   18 -0.123   16  0.043
RAPTORS       15 11 3010 2961 -0.077 12.095   15  0.106   15  0.093   16 -0.007   17 0.5070   20  3.969   17 -0.092   14  0.077
GRIZZLIES     11 13 2726 2767  0.034 12.413   18 -0.051   18 -0.055   17 -0.023   18 0.4924   22  3.959   20 -0.158   11  0.113
TRAIL BLAZERS  9 16 2937 3038  0.174 14.360   19 -0.131   19 -0.134   19 -0.112   19 0.4866    5  4.040   11  0.177   25 -0.402
BUCKS         11 15 2993 3050 -0.095 12.338   20 -0.223   20 -0.223   22 -0.213   20 0.4757   16  3.978   22 -0.247   21 -0.178
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
JAZZ           8 15 2705 2894  0.002 12.233   22 -0.270   22 -0.261   25 -0.435   21 0.4721    1  4.062   15 -0.031   29 -0.840
BULLS          9 14 2698 2819 -0.094 11.216   21 -0.254   21 -0.246   24 -0.419   22 0.4698    6  4.027   21 -0.199   28 -0.638
MAVERICKS      9 16 2796 2903 -0.035 12.712   23 -0.301   23 -0.296   21 -0.203   23 0.4645   29  3.929   26 -0.488   12  0.082
KINGS          6 19 2779 3065  0.134 14.695   24 -0.397   24 -0.392   29 -0.511   24 0.4615   13  3.987   27 -0.501   26 -0.520
CLIPPERS       6 19 2791 2917  0.102 13.791   25 -0.463   25 -0.463   20 -0.185   25 0.4476   26  3.947   25 -0.380   17  0.009
HORNETS        7 17 2741 2839 -0.079 11.644   26 -0.485   26 -0.482   23 -0.271   26 0.4434   18  3.971   24 -0.344   22 -0.198
NETS           6 17 2517 2696 -0.085 11.421   27 -0.534   27 -0.520   26 -0.446   27 0.4386   27  3.945   30 -0.655   23 -0.238
PACERS         6 18 2670 2852 -0.111 11.738   28 -0.595   28 -0.582   27 -0.455   28 0.4374   24  3.957   29 -0.602   24 -0.309
PELICANS       4 22 2969 3212  0.029 13.965   29 -0.724   29 -0.720   28 -0.478   29 0.4245    7  4.015   23 -0.321   27 -0.635
WIZARDS        3 19 2472 2822 -0.083 11.502   30 -0.766   30 -0.770   30 -0.897   30 0.4145    3  4.049   28 -0.560   30 -1.235

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        17  7 2840 2803 -0.020 11.680    6  0.417    6  0.410   14  0.050    6 0.5494    8  4.011   10  0.184   19 -0.084
SUNS          14 11 2870 2861  0.074 13.040   10  0.195   10  0.175   13  0.090   10 0.5215   23  3.957   16 -0.054    8  0.234
WARRIORS      13 12 2837 2793  0.103 13.143   13  0.120   13  0.102   10  0.205   14 0.5128   30  3.915   19 -0.151    3  0.561
KINGS          6 19 2779 3065  0.134 14.695   24 -0.397   24 -0.392   29 -0.511   24 0.4615   13  3.987   27 -0.501   26 -0.520
CLIPPERS       6 19 2791 2917  0.102 13.791   25 -0.463   25 -0.463   20 -0.185   25 0.4476   26  3.947   25 -0.380   17  0.009

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       24  1 3091 2654 -0.082 10.485    1  0.906    1  0.964    1  0.948    1 0.5962   28  3.936    2  0.696    1  1.199
NUGGETS       18  6 3012 2781 -0.043 10.810    5  0.434    5  0.426    4  0.472    5 0.5499    2  4.060    1  0.865   13  0.080
TIMBERWOLVES  15  9 2871 2754 -0.096 10.677   11  0.189   11  0.166   11  0.185   11 0.5214   14  3.982   13  0.168    9  0.202
TRAIL BLAZERS  9 16 2937 3038  0.174 14.360   19 -0.131   19 -0.134   19 -0.112   19 0.4866    5  4.040   11  0.177   25 -0.402
JAZZ           8 15 2705 2894  0.002 12.233   22 -0.270   22 -0.261   25 -0.435   21 0.4721    1  4.062   15 -0.031   29 -0.840

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       16  6 2654 2429  0.095 10.820    3  0.484    3  0.476    2  0.574    3 0.5574   21  3.960    5  0.444    2  0.703
SPURS         17  7 2882 2770  0.032 11.902    4  0.443    4  0.443    7  0.266    4 0.5516    9  4.010    6  0.396   10  0.137
GRIZZLIES     11 13 2726 2767  0.034 12.413   18 -0.051   18 -0.055   17 -0.023   18 0.4924   22  3.959   20 -0.158   11  0.113
MAVERICKS      9 16 2796 2903 -0.035 12.712   23 -0.301   23 -0.296   21 -0.203   23 0.4645   29  3.929   26 -0.488   12  0.082
PELICANS       4 22 2969 3212  0.029 13.965   29 -0.724   29 -0.720   28 -0.478   29 0.4245    7  4.015   23 -0.321   27 -0.635

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       19  5 2849 2718 -0.063 10.984    2  0.541    2  0.552    8  0.231    2 0.5616   15  3.980    9  0.204    7  0.257
CAVALIERS     14 11 2964 2884 -0.023 12.014   14  0.111   14  0.097   12  0.137   15 0.5087   10  3.999    8  0.211   15  0.063
BUCKS         11 15 2993 3050 -0.095 12.338   20 -0.223   20 -0.223   22 -0.213   20 0.4757   16  3.978   22 -0.247   21 -0.178
BULLS          9 14 2698 2819 -0.094 11.216   21 -0.254   21 -0.246   24 -0.419   22 0.4698    6  4.027   21 -0.199   28 -0.638
PACERS         6 18 2670 2852 -0.111 11.738   28 -0.595   28 -0.582   27 -0.455   28 0.4374   24  3.957   29 -0.602   24 -0.309

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         15 10 2945 2834  0.133 13.293    8  0.292    8  0.281    5  0.372    8 0.5306   17  3.972    7  0.303    6  0.441
HEAT          14 11 3043 2955  0.087 12.996   12  0.186   12  0.165    9  0.217   12 0.5164    4  4.048    3  0.547   20 -0.113
HAWKS         14 11 2951 2912 -0.048 11.904   16  0.078   17  0.071   15  0.033   13 0.5133   11  3.991   14  0.063   18  0.003
HORNETS        7 17 2741 2839 -0.079 11.644   26 -0.485   26 -0.482   23 -0.271   26 0.4434   18  3.971   24 -0.344   22 -0.198
WIZARDS        3 19 2472 2822 -0.083 11.502   30 -0.766   30 -0.770   30 -0.897   30 0.4145    3  4.049   28 -0.560   30 -1.235

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
KNICKS        17  7 2893 2686 -0.018 11.144    7  0.396    7  0.387    3  0.481    7 0.5379   12  3.989    4  0.500    5  0.462
CELTICS       15 10 2915 2770  0.047 12.369    9  0.221    9  0.199    6  0.344    9 0.5252   25  3.952   12  0.172    4  0.516
76ERS         13 10 2689 2671 -0.079 10.762   17  0.074   16  0.075   18 -0.040   16 0.5076   19  3.969   18 -0.123   16  0.043
RAPTORS       15 11 3010 2961 -0.077 12.095   15  0.106   15  0.093   16 -0.007   17 0.5070   20  3.969   17 -0.092   14  0.077
NETS           6 17 2517 2696 -0.085 11.421   27 -0.534   27 -0.520   26 -0.446   27 0.4386   27  3.945   30 -0.655   23 -0.238

DIVISION            W  L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 74 47 0.612    1  0.266
ATLANTIC DIVISION  66 55 0.545    2  0.084
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 57 64 0.471    3  0.017
PACIFIC DIVISION   56 68 0.452    4 -0.085
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 53 68 0.438    5 -0.114
CENTRAL DIVISION   59 63 0.484    6 -0.167

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Dec 12 05:30:14 2025
games through: Thu Dec 11 2025

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