Committing fewer turnovers, grabbing more rebounds, receiving a significant contribution from Serge Ibaka — all had been rarities this season entering Saturday, let alone occurring on the same night.

The Clippers made three of their last 16 shots in their last nine minutes, with coach Tyronn Lue pinning the drought — the second pronounced scoreless stretch of the night — on a lack of decisiveness.

Yet there were multiple reasons why the Clippers guaranteed his contract earlier this month, one being that at the time of Hartenstein’s injury the team was 11 points better when he played, per 100 possessions.

But just one minute into the fourth quarter, a Bledsoe assist leading to a jumper by Batum erased what had been a 16-point deficit, and one possession later a layup by Brandon Boston Jr. — off their season-high-tying 17 th Offensive Rebound — pushed the Clippers ahead by three.