NLCS Bracket 2021: TV Schedule, Early Odds and Predictions

The Los Angeles Dodgers escaped their National League Division Series showdown with the archrival San Francisco Giants.

Los Angeles prevailed in Thursday's win-or-go-home Game 5 with a 2-1 victory to cap off a memorable series that featured momentum swings, timely pitching and clutch hitting between the teams that finished with the two best records in the league during the regular season.

The reward?

A National League Championship Series matchup with the Atlanta Braves, who defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in four games in the other NLDS.

Here is a look at some of the key information for the upcoming series, while a full playoff bracket is available at MLB.com.

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Schedule

• Game 1: Atlanta at Los Angeles, Oct. 16 at 8:07 p.m. ET

• Game 2: Atlanta at Los Angeles, Oct. 17 at 7:37 p.m. or 8:07 p.m. ET

• Game 3: Los Angeles at Atlanta, Oct. 19

• Game 4: Los Angeles at Atlanta, Oct. 20

• *Game 5: Los Angeles at Atlanta, Oct. 21

• *Game 6: Atlanta at Los Angeles, Oct. 23 

• *Game 7: Atlanta at Los Angeles, Oct. 24 

*If necessary

All games will be broadcast on TBS.

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SeriesOdds

• Dodgers: -220 (bet $220 to win $100)
• Braves: +185 (bet $100 to win $185)

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings, as of Friday at 1 a.m. ET.

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Prediction

The Braves have something of a scheduling advantage heading into this series considering they finished their win over the Brewers on Tuesday while the Dodgers and Giants played the maximum amount of games in their own series.

That will allow Atlanta to set its pitching staff to its advantage.

The team is also playing inspired baseball after a second-half turnaround that saw it go from three games under .500 on Aug. 1 to 15 games over .500 by season's end. That momentum carried right over into the postseason for the Braves as they outscored Milwaukee by six runs and had two shutouts in the NLDS.

Unfortunately for the National League East team, that momentum will come to an end against the Dodgers.

The defending champions are simply too talented and already advanced past what figured to be their biggest challenge. Nobody won more games than San Francisco's 107 in the regular season, but the Giants still didn't have enough to defeat Los Angeles.

Cody Bellinger played the role of hero with the go-ahead hit in the ninth inning of Thursday's game, and a return to form for the 2019 National League MVP who struggled this year would only make a lineup that already features Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Corey Seager and Justin Turner all the more formidable.

The Dodgers also have the trio of Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias to anchor the starting pitching staff and Kenley Jansen as a shutdown closer who can go multiple innings at the backend of the bullpen.

There is simply too much talent on the Los Angeles roster to fall short of the World Series.

Look for the Dodgers to advance to the Fall Classic for the fourth time in five years.

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