The Milwaukee Bucks are on a postseason mission

MILWAUKEE — DURING A TIMEOUT late in the fourth quarter of a Feb. 24 game against the Miami Heat, Jrue Holiday picked up an orange Gatorade bottle and channeled his inner Backstreet Boy.

Holiday had gone to the bench for the final time with 4:30 remaining and his Milwaukee Bucks leading 124-89 on their way to their 13th consecutive win, so it was time for Holiday to enjoy the moment.

“Don’t want to hear you say.”

Holiday lip-synced into his Gatorade bottle, jumping out of his seat as the sold-out crowd of 17,676 at Fiserv Forum cheered him on during “Crowd Karaoke” playing on the Bucks’ video board above the court.

“Ain’t nothing but a heartache.”

Milwaukee has had plenty of moments to enjoy of late, having won 21 of its past 23 games. The Bucks enter their showdown with the Golden State Warriors (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC) — a meeting of the past two NBA champions — as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, 2.5 games up on the Boston Celtics for the best record in the NBA.

“Sometimes timing matters in this league,” an Eastern Conference scout told ESPN. “They’re finally healthy and hitting their stride at the right time.”

There have been four instances of a team winning at least 15 straight games in the past five seasons and the Bucks are responsible for two of them. Before the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Bucks 133-130 last week, Milwaukee had won 16 in a row, the third-longest streak in franchise history.

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is on pace to become the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to average 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while shooting 50%. Center Brook Lopez is a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year, as is Holiday, who made the All-Star team for the first time since 2012-13, and is enjoying his best season in a Bucks uniform. Khris Middleton is finally healthy and embracing his recent role as a sixth man, leading a bench unit that has become one of the deepest…