To hear coach Chris Finch tell it, Edwards spent the first half dissecting how the Lakers were going to defend him (he had eight points and three assists), and at the intermission he had some things figured out.

“He knew what was going on by that time. I think he had gotten comfortable with it,” Finch said. “I think some of the stuff that we saw early, we weren’t quite expecting some of it with him.”

So Edwards was telling teammates where he wanted them to be — as the Lakers tried to “tilt the floor” against him and send multiple defenders at him — in the gaps whenever he had the ball.

Part of Edwards’ halftime message was to speak to his teammates about how best they could capitalize off the attention he was drawing. It worked to perfection, as he nearly finished with a triple-double of 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

But that moment in the locker room is also a snapshot of how the 23-year-old is growing more into his voice as a leader. Edwards has been reluctant to use his voice early in his career, but last season and into this one, that voice became louder, to the point it feels natural for the All-Star guard to be a more vocal leader with the Wolves, even if there are plenty of players older than he is.

“How he’s been leading, as young as he is, it’s kind of crazy to me,” center Naz Reid said. “You would think he’s 30. Like, seriously. Just how vocal he is, he wants to win. You can tell.

“He’s desperate, and he wants his teammates to do well as well. Him being the leader that he is, it just falls down the line. It falls into my hands with the younger guys as well, and so forth and so on. Inspiring each other day by day — moments like today is huge.”