Anthony Edwards scored 49 points in Minnesota’s win Wednesday over Chicago.

And easily topped that performance Thursday.

Houston simply had no answer for the all-star guard at Target Center.

Edwards attacked the rim at will, leaving the Rockets’ generally stout defense helpless as he erupted for 41 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Wolves’ 127-114 victory over Houston.

The Rockets have now lost five-straight games.

Edwards has now delivered in consecutive back-to-backs. He dominated in Phoenix and then again in Utah last week. He delivered in succession against Chicago and Houston the last two days. Much as he did a year ago when Karl-Anthony Towns missed a month-plus due to injury, Edwards is answering the bell with Minnesota down Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

“I think he knows what we need from him now. We’ve seen this before when we’ve been short handed at times, too,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “What he’s doing such a great job of now is he’s making quick decisions. When he has a chance to race, he races. When he has a chance to shoot, he shoots. When comes and catches the ball behind the play, he’s playing off the catch more, adn that’s really resulting in a lot of trips to the free-throw line. That’s exactly the way we need him to play. He’s been special these last couple games. Absolutely special.”

Edwards was seemingly sparked by Rockets wing Dillon Brooks who, in true Brooks’ fashion, got into Edwards’ face at one point in the first half, which caused one of a couple mini skirmishes on the floor on an intense evening. It was game on for Edwards from there.

“I wouldn’t even say (he was) poking me. Everybody know how Dillon Brooks is, man. He play dirty. He’s a competitor. I love the competing part, but all the little slick little dirty (stuff)… He hit me in the face and I fell and he said, ‘How much crying you gonna do?’ I’m like, ‘Bruh, you hit me in my ... face. What you want me to do?

“I just don’t like that part. Don’t do something and then act like you didn’t do it. I love all the competitiveness. We can compete all day. We can talk (stuff) all day. But when you get to doing that, it’s more than basketball at that point. I think a couple years ago when he was with Memphis he did the same thing and I reacted the same way. I don’t mind you competing and grabbing and pushing and doing all that. I love that because I’m gonna do that back. The moment you start using your fist and (stuff)it’s like ‘all right, bruh.’ you feel me? We grown men out here, we ain’t finna do all that. He think he got a reputation of punking people.”

Edwards did the punking with his play in the end.

Houston led by six to open the final frame. The Rockets’ advantage had been trimmed to one when Edwards checked in with just fewer than eight minutes to play. On the very next possession, he drove to the bucket for a go-ahead deuce. It was a precursor for the quarter to come.

Again and again, Edwards attacked. Sometimes, that meant racing around the Rockets’ high-wall defense in the pick and roll to get to the bucket. On other occasions, it meant rising up to hit another dagger triple.

Edwards’ thought process down the stretch: “How the hell can I get a shot off, in any way possible. I don’t care how far it was from the rim, how close it was to the rim, wherever I can get a shot off, that’s where I need to be.”

Said Rockets coach Ime Udoka: “It’s nice to have a special player that can get buckets at the end.”

Houston doesn’t have one of those guys, and Minnesota does. It’s why the Timberwolves’ ultimate ceiling is higher than the Rockets’, no matter how hard Houston plays. When Edwards is elite, Minnesota can go toe to toe with anyone.

He was elite again on Thursday. It was another perfectly-balanced offensive out-burst for Edwards, who hit five triples and also attempted 15 free throws. Edwards scored 16 points in the final frame. He is now the franchise’s all-time leader in 40-point games, passing Towns. He’s also the youngest player in NBA history to make 1,000 triples.

The accolades keep piling up. If he continues to play like this, the wins will, as well.