The Heat has had some impressive runs in the Big 3 Era.

There was last season’s 22-game stretch in December and January when Miami won all but one game. Then, the Heat breezed through the Eastern Conference playoffs, winning every home contest and losing just three games in three series. Earlier this year, the Heat lost Dwyane Wade for two weeks but won eight of nine games, with victories over the Spurs, Lakers, Bulls and 76ers.

But the consensus at practice Monday was that Miami’s most recent stretch — during which the Heat has won six games by double digits, with five coming on the road — has been the best and most consistent of the past two seasons.

“We’ve been playing good basketball,” Wade said. “It hasn’t all resulted in wins, but the majority of it has. The biggest thing for us is just no egos at all. Guys just want to find a way to win games.”

The numbers don’t lie. During the Heat’s recent six-game road trip, Miami won five games in a row after dropping the opener to Orlando.

What’s more, two of those wins came against Eastern Conference contenders (Hawks and Pacers) and three of them came on three consecutive nights, making the Heat the first team in 33 years to win three road games in three nights.

As if to atone for the loss to Orlando, the Heat returned to AmericanAirlines Arena and handled the Magic on Sunday.

“We’ve taken another step forward as a basketball team,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Part of that step was consistency, what we were talking about for a large part of the beginning of the season. We’ve been able to find that consistency.”

Defense matters

Much of the Heat’s struggles this season have come on the defensive end, as the team dealt with injuries and unique offensive attacks (both the Knicks and the Magic set season-high totals in three-pointers attempted against the Heat).

In four of the Heat’s seven losses, Miami surrendered at least 100 points. In a fifth, the Heat gave up 96 points in regulation to Golden State.

There was perhaps no better representation of the Heat’s improvement than Miami’s shutdown defense on the Magic’s Dwight Howard on Sunday.

The big man burned Miami for 25 points and 24 rebounds during the teams’ first meeting on Feb. 8, but the Heat returned with a sound strategy to silence Howard.

Miami double-teamed Howard when he got the ball in the paint and alternated five defenders on him throughout the afternoon. Howard only managed 10 shots on the day (with 15 rebounds).

‘Just clicking’

“Things are just clicking,” Chris Bosh said. “The system is becoming more natural to us, and we’re getting to the point where we have to call less and less and we just talk on the court.”

What makes the Heat’s recent stretch unique is that it has been dwarfed nationally by Jeremy Lin’s success and the Knicks’ improbable stretch of success.

Under the radar?

Despite winning nine of its past 10 games, with three All-Stars and two MVP candidates, the Heat appear to be flying under the radar.

“Right now, there happen to be other story lines around the league,” Spoelstra said. “But we know how quickly things can change and turn on us. But I think we’re connected and emotionally capable now to handle whatever comes our way.”