Dec 14, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson (15) keeps the ball away from Sacramento Kings point guard Jimmer Fredette (7) during the second half at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Thunder defeated the Kings 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Despite a valiant effort, the Sacramento Kings could not overcome a 24-point deficit in Oklahoma City as the Thunder won by the score of 113-103.

Kevin Durant had a game-high 31 points, while Isaiah Thomas led the Kings with a very efficient 26 points in 16 minutes on 10/13 shooting.

The first quarter was a stalemate, as both teams tried to get a feel for each other, but the second quarter was straight-up dominated by the Thunder. They opened up a 19-point lead at halftime, as the Kings looked like a team exhausted from a long road trip.

Things got real ugly in the third quarter when, according to Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee, it “featured the starters’ inability to run the offense, share the ball and take quality shots.”

It boiled over when head coach Keith Smart called a time out to prevent center DeMarcus Cousins from dribbling the length of the court for a dunk. He then reportedly ripped his players during the stoppage.

“I don’t want to look like we have no care about the game on the floor and it showed,” Smart said on his starters in the third quarter.

The Kings were down 24 in the fourth quarter, but a remarkable effort from the Kings’ bench brought them back into the game, led by Thomas’ 23 points in the quarter.

Three free throws from Jimmer Fredette cut the lead to 103-98 with 3:20 remaining, but that would be as close as Sacramento would get.

Durant and Serge Ibaka scored the final 10 points of the game for the Thunder, who held on to win by double-digits.

The Kings fall to 1-9 on the road, and will mercifully return home to face the Nuggets on Sunday.