Clippers reserves play big role in fourth quarter against Hornets

NEW ORLEANS — They were like the Three Amigos in the fourth quarter, playing all 12 minutes, doing their parts to help the Clippers finally get by the New Orleans Hornets.

Jamal Crawford had 10 of his 15 points in the fourth, Eric Bledsoe all nine of his points in the final quarter and Matt Barnes had seven of his 16 points in the last quarter.

That trio played as big a role for the Clippers as anybody else.

“I think our biggest contribution to this team is our energy and our effort,” Barnes said about the group.

Barnes, a small forward, played power forward in the fourth quarter.

His 10 rebounds helped Barnes produce a double-double for the game.

“Bledsoe was out there making plays, crashing the boards, playing defense. And that’s similar to what I do,” Barnes said. “It’s tough for him playing behind CP [Chris Paul], but it was good that he got some minutes out there tonight. When he gets minutes, he performs.”

Through three quarters, Crawford had missed nine of 11 shots, five of six three-pointers.

But in the fourth quarter, Crawford was three for five from the field, and he made both of his three-pointers.

He also had three of his five assists in the fourth quarter.

One of Crawford’s fourth-quarter three-pointers cut the Clippers’ deficit to 81-77 and his second three-ball cut the deficit to 85-84 with 2:02 left.

“They were good shots, but they just weren’t falling,” Crawford said. “It was one of those nights where we had to battle back. Thank God Coach [Vinny Del Negro] stayed with me.”

For Bledsoe, he admitted that he has been in a “slump” in recent games.

So before he entered the game in the fourth, Bledsoe said he told teammate Maalik Wayns that it was time for him to step up his game.

Indeed, Bledsoe did, scoring seven consecutive points for the Clippers at one point in the fourth quarter.

Bledsoe was a force for the Clippers in the fourth. He had one steal, a blocked shot and a tip dunk off a Paul miss with 25.8 seconds left.

“I told Maalik, ‘I’m going to go in and help out,’” Bledsoe said. “I’ve been playing a little lackadaisical and not helping my team out. I told him I was going to go in and play with the energy that I usually play with. And it just happened that it clicked.”

Jordan hurts knee

DeAndre Jordan had a scare early in the third quarter when he fell over Al-Farouq Aminu and injured his right knee.

Jordan limped off the court but returned to play later in the third quarter.

He finished with five points and three rebounds in 23:29, and said that he will play Saturday night at Memphis.

“It’s still sore,” Jordan said after the game. “I kind of landed funny. But I’ll be good to go against the Grizzlies.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner