The entertainment value of Monday’s presidential debate was undeniable: Rarely has it seemed that a 90-minute debate transpired so quickly as the first head-to-head encounter between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

Trump and Clinton traded verbal jabs on the debate stage at Hofstra University in Heampstead, N.Y., as polls showed them locked in a tight race.

There were telling moments — but none that could be considered in the caliber of a “there you go again” or “you’re no Jack Kennedy” gem from past debates.

Trump took an early offensive until he botched the response to a question about his federal income tax returns and why he has not released them.

It’s equally clear Clinton did not want to respond to Trump’s retort about the private e-mail server she maintained at home while serving as secretary or state, or the 30,000 e-mails that have yet to be accounted for.

But when Trump dropped the issue, the momentum went to Clinton.

Neither candidate landed a decisive blow, although their frank words helped explain why both nominees are saddled with double-digit disapproval ratings in the polls.

Trump, the billionaire business mogul and reality TV figure, continues to struggle for legitimacy as a presidential candidate. He gained a share of it simply by being on Monday’s debate stage, matching wits with Clinton, a polished career politician with three decades of experience.

Clinton, the political insider, struggles with a perception of dishonesty with the public; her health also has come into question.

Her performance helped to address both concerns — she looked rested and alert, her back-and-forths with Trump came off as spontaneous but witty. She was the aggressor during most of the debate. She came prepared, and her experience showed.

But that did not make Clinton a clear winner. Neither nominee landed what could be considered a knockout blow.

And for the Clinton campaign, that might be particularly worrisome. After all, she’s been here before — locked in a full-scale presidential campaign, raising and spending millions of dollars, and yet unable to put away a less-experienced opponent.

On the face of it, the first debate goes to Clinton by a split decision. But from a broader viewpoint, Clinton’s lack of a decisive win might seem like a defeat, while Trump won simply by not losing badly.

Not that any of the millions of voters who watched the debate changed their minds about who will get their vote. And the oddest campaign season in memory continues.