The Timberwolves didn’t necessarily stumble out of the gates Tuesday. It was more like they sat at the start line for quite some time after the ball was tipped.

Minnesota was asleep at the wheel for the first quarter — perhaps its worst frame of the season — falling behind hapless Wizards by as many as 21 points Wednesday.

The Wolves trailed by 10 at the break. Then water returned to its level.

Minnesota cranked up the intensity in the third quarter and didn’t look back. Anthony Edwards led the charge, finishing with a career-high 51 points as the Wolves downed Washington 130-121 at Target Center.

The unfortunate part for Minnesota was that its haphazard start meant it had to play so much meaningful basketball down to the bitter end. Edwards and Rudy Gobert each played 38 minutes. That’s not ideal when the Wolves play in Denver on Wednesday in the game that will likely determine who gets the No. 1 seed in the West playoffs.

Denver did also play on Tuesday in Utah. So both squads will play in the game of the regular season on zero days rest.

Edwards’ performance Tuesday was a continuation of his recent efforts to play hard against cellar dwellers — something he failed to do in the past.

“Usually these games I come out and don’t have no energy and look like I don’t want to be here, and Finchy been gettin on my (butt) about that the last couple games,” Edwards said after a recent win over Toronto. “So I tried to come out with the approach that I would take as if we was playing a team that was super good. I think it was a great way of handling business tonight.”

Edwards was aggressive from the opening tip Tuesday. Even as Washington waltzed to whatever shot attempt it wanted early, draining one triple after another as the Wolves lacked any defensive intensity, Edwards was making a point to generate offense on the other end.

He captained the third quarter explosion, netting 17 points in the frame. Then, down the stretch in the fourth, Edwards smelled his personal record. He attacked Washington’s defense with hyper-aggression. His previous career high was 49 points, and he’d attempted to push for 50, often to only be denied by circumstance and some suspect shot selection.

To the guard’s credit, he decided to get to 50 Tuesday by attacking the rim. Sitting at 47, Edwards did pull up for one long three that clanked off the iron. The next three possessions, he went to the rack.

When Edwards finally converted a layup to get to 51 with two minutes to play, the 22-year-old guard held up a “50” with five fingers on one hand and a closed fist on the other as the crowd greeted him with a standing ovation.

But there’s little time to celebrate. Minnesota may need an equally strong performance Wednesday to all-but lock up the No. 1 seed. Edwards was asked on the floor after the game if the team would be ready.

“Hell yeah,” he said.