Hawks preview: After proving they are good, team seeks greatness

"Now there is somewhat of a target on our back," Hawks guard Joe Johnson said. "We are not sneaking up on teams anymore. Teams are coming out and looking forward to beating us. It is a lot more of a challenge to try and take that next step to become a contender for a title."

The discontent for the Hawks and their fans began with the team's noncompetitive playoffs lost to Orlando in May. Critics were not placated when the team re-signed All-Star guard Joe Johnson, but otherwise added minimum-salaried free agents in the summer.

At the same time, the Hawks' competition stiffened. The Heat signed LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade. The Bulls signed Carlos Boozer. Orlando kept together the core group that has dominated the Hawks.

Even the Hawks' lackluster outings during the preseason have caused dissatisfaction. For an experienced team returning the same player rotation, exhibition games usually are viewed as warm-ups for the real thing, but for the Hawks' detractors they've added to the reasons to dismiss them.

The Hawks are aware of the rumblings. Even as they still consider last season to be an overall success, they say they share the feeling that there should be more.

"We talk about 53 wins, and that was an accomplishment," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "But it was not something to boast and brag about. I find no real satisfaction if that was our target. I think we've been together enough years now to where it is time we look beyond that."

It's a testament to the high expectations that the Hawks are looking to go places they have rarely been since the franchise moved to Atlanta in 1968.

Since arriving in Atlanta, the Hawks have never advanced to the conference finals. They've won their division only four times. They've won 50 games or more only eight times, once since 1997.

"I think our expectations are now higher because we have been together for some time and had some success," general manager Rick Sund said. "We have been able to make the elite status the last two years. And now we have to get to the championship status, which is advancing beyond the second round.

"That's our goal. If you get to that championship caliber, you have a legitimate shot to get to the finals. It's a tough goal, but it is a goal we have presented to our players."

There are few new Hawks players, but lots of fresh ideas.

Drew, the team's lead assistant the past six years under former coach Mike Woodson, is trying to change the team's identity. He has installed a motion offense and is prodding his players to give consistent, all-out effort on defense.

There is hope that role players such as Jeff Teague, Zaza Pachulia and Mo Evans will increase their production with more playing time. There is the expectation that Drew's new approach will invigorate mainstays Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith and Al Horford.

"I think everyone comes in each and every day with an attitude of we want to get better," Williams said. "We have to get better. You definitely don't want to go backwards. We've come a long way, man. Everyone knows where we came from. Nobody wants to take that step backwards, so we have got to keep pushing."

The Hawks no longer are viewed as plucky overachievers. Neither are they considered to be obvious choices to challenge for a title.

After growing for so many years, the Hawks are somewhere in between. This is the season when they could take the next step or fall back again.

"You can't blame our youth, [say] we don't have experienced guys," Pachulia said. "We have a lot of veteran guys on this team. Young, but veteran. It is in our hands."