For more than 90 minutes Friday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks jammed themselves into a small room off the basketball practice floor at Houston's Westside Tennis Club to discuss their problems.

A long heart-to-heart team meeting among a group that is in first place in the Central Division?

It may not have been unprecedented, but it was certainly unusual.

"I think we're underachieving and we're not playing with urgency," coach George Karl said in explaining his reason for calling the meeting. "That's not criticism. In some ways that's praise, to be 14-8 and underachieving. I'm surprised we're 14-8."

And for the first time this year, Karl, who has been quick to blame his stars for the team's shortcomings, held himself publicly accountable.

Saying he didn't have all the answers, an introspective Karl said: "I'm a part of the problem, too. I'm a part of the team. I want to do better. I want to coach better. I want to feel more comfortable.