The Indiana Fever's frustrating night in Atlanta may not be over yet. Indiana fell 113-96 to the Atlanta Dream on Saturday despite getting 26 points and seven assists from Caitlin Clark. The loss dropped the Fever after another defensive struggle, but it also came with a financial consequence for two of the team's veterans. Both Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham were assessed technical fouls during the game, putting each player in line for league fines.Fever stars draw technical fouls in AtlantaMitchell's technical foul came late in the first quarter during a drive to the basket against Atlanta. As she attempted a layup, contact sent her off balance and her hand made contact with the face of Dream star Rhyne Howard. Officials reviewed the play and assessed Mitchell a technical foul.Cunningham's technical came in the fourth quarter after she was called for an offensive foul while battling for position underneath the basket against Atlanta rookie Te-Hina Paopao. The veteran forward immediately voiced her frustration with the call and was hit with a technical. The sequence summed up a difficult second half for Indiana, which watched an 11-point first-half lead disappear as Atlanta took complete control of the game.MORE: Angel Reese's flagrant foul vs. Fever could come with immediate consequenceWhat the technical fouls mean for Mitchell and CunninghamUnder WNBA rules, the first three technical fouls assessed to a player each season carry a $500 fine. Saturday's whistle was Mitchell's first technical foul of the season and Cunningham's second, meaning both players are expected to receive $500 fines from the league.The penalties become more significant as the season progresses. Technical fouls four through seven carry $1,000 fines, while a player who reaches eight technical fouls is subject to a $1,500 fine and an automatic one-game suspension. For now, the financial hit is relatively minor. But with plenty of basketball still left to play, it serves as a reminder that emotions can carry a cost.Fever looking to regroup after defensive breakdownThe Fever offense was productive enough to compete, finishing with 96 points and getting double-digit scoring performances from Clark, Mitchell and Cunningham. The problem was on the other end.Atlanta had all five starters score in double figures, led by Howard's 24 points and Allisha Gray's 22. The Dream eventually stretched the lead to 22 points late in the fourth quarter, turning what was once a competitive game into one of Indiana's toughest losses of the season.As the Fever move forward, they'll be focused on cleaning up the defensive issues that showed up again Saturday. Mitchell and Cunningham, meanwhile, will also have an added incentive to avoid any further technical fouls as the season continues.More WNBA news: Angel Reese's flagrant foul vs. Fever could come with immediate consequenceCaitlin Clark and Angel Reese's latest on-court exchange quickly grabs attention during Fever-Dream matchupAngel Reese reaches historic rebound milestone as Dream star rewrites WNBA record bookCheryl Reeve's reaction to Olivia Miles' first rough WNBA game says everything about the Lynx rookieBefore a huge game in Atlanta, the Indiana Fever had one message for Stephanie White