What happened: Game officials called a foul on Lu Dort while allowing contact across the other nine players on the floor to go unwhistled. Earlier in the week on Wednesday, Dort checked in early in both halves, whereas the starting five stayed together longer in the opening half once foul trouble was avoided.

Why it matters: Whistle tolerance directly shapes how the Hawks deploy Luguentz Dort after his July trade from Oklahoma City to Atlanta. The coaching staff has staggered Dort with fellow perimeter stoppers Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, relying on clean foul sheets to keep the primary defensive unit on the court.

What to watch: Watch whether tight officiating limits Dort's second-half floor time or forces earlier defensive substitutions.