Anthony Edwards received one heck of a blueprint for how to dominate a basketball game on Wednesday night at Target Center.

Zion Williamson used his physicality to dominate the game, getting easy shots for himself and others, even for a depleted New Orleans team, even on a night where he did not receive a friendly whistle.

The forward elevated everyone around him, and he led the Pelicans past a far superior Wolves team because of it by a 119-115 score.

“Zion tough. He a tough cover, man. That’s just it,” Edwards said. “His touch around the rim. He take off from so far, you think he ain’t going to get to the rim. Every time he’s finger-rolling it at the rim, high off the glass. I’m not going to lie. It’s incredible.”

That touch is something where Edwards could take a major leap in his game. He is shooting just 61 percent in the restricted area this season, which is fifth-worst in the NBA among players with 230-plus shots taken in that zone.

Edwards missed a couple right around the rim in the game’s final two minutes. That, paired with a missed open triple try from Naz Reid and a bevy of missed free throws down the stretch, ultimately led to the Wolves’ NBA-leading 25th clutch-time loss this season.

Edwards finished 5 for 19 from the field.

“We got good shots. We got Ant at the rim. We didn’t settle at that point in time. We got to kick out corner three, we got to the line,” Finch said. “Those are shots we’re pretty happy with.”

But not the results they were seeking, or needed on a night when New Orleans (19-51) had an offensive option for which Minnesota simply didn’t have an answer.

Williamson finished with 29 points on 12-for-16 shooting, while also tallying eight assists. He drove through contact, getting to the rim even when Minnesota committed two or even three bodies to him. And when there was no lane, he got off the ball and freed up his teammates for an easy shot.

It was an offensive masterclass, and a reminder that Williamson is potentially one of the few players in the NBA who can bring a team a championship as the best player on a roster. Minnesota needs to find solutions for Williamson, as the same two teams will duel again on Friday.

Finch felt Minnesota’s first line of defense “battled” Williamson on Wednesday, but more than that is required to slow such a locomotive.

“I just thought at the rim we were soft. We got out of the way too much. And we know what he’s trying to do,” Finch said. “It’s hard for one person. We got to show bodies in a crowd. We got to show bodies at the rim.”

Something different than what was presented Wednesday.

Minnesota (40-31) has now lost two straight fresh off the heels of its eight-game winning streak, both against teams it was heavily favored to beat. The talk of the NBA last week, Minnesota has sunk into a number of its old bad habits. Not enough defensive intensity, not enough ball movement. Not winning basketball.

Minnesota hit 41% of its triple tries in the loss and got to the line 36 times, but turned the ball over 14 times and was outrebounded handily. Minnesota had just 21 assists.

The Wolves simply aren’t playing with the same offensive movement or defensive force they demonstrated on a nightly basis during their recent winning streak.

If Minnesota is to contend deep into the postseason, or even rally past Golden State for the No. 6 seed in the West to avoid the play-in, that needs to change.

“It’s weird. We’ll be all right, man. We’ll bounce back,” Edwards said. “We’ve been playing great for maybe three weeks. I don’t know what happened, but something happened with all of us. We’ll figure it out, hopefully sooner than later.”