The critics may not like Toronto’s defence, but oddsmakers have the Raptors as favourites in their first-round series against the Washington Wizards.

The Toronto Raptors haven’t made it out of the first round of the NBA playoffs since way back in 2001, but if oddsmakers have it right, the Raps look poised to win their second playoff series in franchise history this year.

Sports Interaction has the Raptors listed as -192 favourites to win their series with the Washington Wizards and they’re pegged as 4.5-point favourites for Saturday’s afternoon’s Game 1 at the Air Canada Centre.

Last year, the Raptors came within a last-second shot from Kyle Lowry to downing the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 and moving on the second round. However, Paul Pierce got a piece of Lowry’s effort, sending the Raptors packing. It’s a moment that Lowry hasn’t forgotten.

Sports Interaction’s NBA Futures Odds

“(It) just motivated me to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” Lowry told reporters. “And if it ever happens again, I’ll make the shot and do something to make sure I finish the shot and we’re not on the floor mad, I’m on the floor happy and excited.”

The Raptors roared out of the gate this year with a 13-2 record that had them at the top of the Eastern Conference. Since then, the road has been a lot rockier. Toronto struggled to get anything going in January and then lost nine of 10 games during an awful stretch in February. The Raps have been trying to find their game ever since.

This matchup with the Wizards will be tricky, too. Toronto averages 104 points a game while the Washington holds its opponents to just 43.3 percent shooting, good for second in the NBA. Many think the Wizards are better suited to grind it out in the playoffs, but the Raptors have finally started defending better recently and just in the nick of time, too.

“I feel a lot better defensively than I did two weeks ago. I think our defence has taken a huge step,” Toronto head coach Dwane Casey said. “It’s almost like a light switch came on after working on it so much to nauseam, taking about it to nauseam.”

Either that or maybe the Raps just needed to catch the We The North vibe in Toronto and think back to the crazy scenes from Jurassic Park outside of the Air Canada Centre.

Game 1 tips off at 12:30 pm ET.