OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Thunder were in desperate in desperate need of a slump buster. After Oklahoma City lost the previous two games, the noise started to grow louder around the franchise that it was going in the wrong direction.

Enter the New Orleans Pelicans. Losers of their previous four contests and playing without their best player, the Pelicans were supposed to be the perfect remedy for what ailed the Thunder.

However, it took a special night from guard Russell Westbrook in order for Oklahoma City to hold on to an 110-103 victory over New Orleans on Wednesday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

"We got a win," Westbrook said. "We worked hard this week and the last few days to get a win, so I am happy about that."

Westbrook scored 43 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the field to go along with eight assists and nine rebounds.

It was his second consecutive 40-plus-point outburst without running mate Kevin Durant in the lineup.

"I just have to be a better leader," Westbrook said. "My job is to make guys feel confident about their game. Find a way to give them the ball and also help us win games."

Center Enes Kanter came off the bench to pour in 24 points and grab 14 rebounds for the Thunder (7-5).

Forward Ryan Anderson paced the Pelicans (1-11) with 30 points on 13-of-25 shooting. Guards Eric Gordon and Ish Smith each scored 18 points.

"I felt that we got everything that we possibly could," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "I thought we played hard. I thought we competed like crazy. I thought we gave ourselves an opportunity, and a great player closed out the game for them. Westbrook made a lot of great plays, but he does that against a lot of teams."

With seven minutes left in the game, Anderson closed the gap to 90-84 with a put-back.

Thunder guard D.J. Augustin drained a 3-pointer to put the Thunder up by nine. A Kanter put-back gave the home team an 11-point advantage with 5:30 to go.

After Gordon and Smith hit back-to-back layups, and Anderson drained a 3-pointer, and the lead was down to six. Forward Luke Babbitt's 3-pointer made it a three-point contest with 3:24 left.

The Thunder were following the same script they had during each of their defeats this season. Hold a lead in the fourth, then watch as the opposing team rallies.

However, Westbrook competed a three-point play to push the margin back to six. He followed that with a fastbreak layup.

Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer with 24 seconds left to get the Pelicans to within four points, but forward Serge Ibaka's two free throws closed the game out for Oklahoma City.

"Russell made some really tough, difficult shots," Gentry said. "There's not a whole lot you can do about that. ... That's why I said earlier he should be considered an MVP candidate just like the rest of them."

The Thunder outrebounded the Pelicans 50-40.

Neither team started the night looking on top of its game. Gordon decided to take the scoring duties for the Pelicans in the early going. He helped New Orleans build a 27-21 advantage after the first quarter.

Despite 13 points from Westbrook, the Thunder shot just 27 percent from the field in the quarter.

It was Oklahoma City's bench that got the game settled down and back under control. Kanter entered and immediately started to take control of the paint.

With no Anthony Davis in the lineup for the Pelicans, Kanter was able to seemingly score at will. He posted 15 points in 14 minutes to give Oklahoma City a 53-45 halftime advantage.

"I was pleased with that the second unit did," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "They really did a great job."

NOTES: New Orleans F Anthony Davis was inactive Wednesday against Oklahoma City after reinjuring his left shoulder Tuesday night at Denver. Davis had returned just one game earlier from a two-game absence caused by a hip injury. "It's just discomfort and having trouble raising his arm up," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "As tough as it is for us, and what we're going through, we still have got to think long term. This is not anything anybody enjoys going through. But it is what it is." ... Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant took part in full-court shooting drills Wednesday morning during the team's shoot-around. Durant has been sideline with a strained left hamstring and has missed four consecutive games. "He is doing more than he was a week ago," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "How close he is to a return? I'm not really sure of that." ... Due to various injuries, the Pelicans had only nine players in uniform against the Thunder.