Now Mad Dog analyzes players for NBA 2Night and ESPN.com. In this week's Mad Dog's Top Five, Carter names the best big men in the game at the quarter mark of the 1999-2000 NBA season.

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MAD DOG'S TOP 5 BIG MEN THIS SEASON
O'Neal	Shaquille O'Neal Lakers	26.9 points, 14.4 rebs, .573 FG, 3.2 blk "Shaq has really come into his own this season. He's No. 1 right now at any position, my MVP so far. I've also felt that big men should dominate the paint, and Shaq never really did that. But now he is, both offensively and defensively. Rebounds, blocks, points -- he's doing it all. That's the job of a good center."
Duncan	Tim Duncan Spurs	24.0 points, 13.2 rebs, .510 FG, 2.5 blk "Shaq dominates because he's a physical force, but Duncan is so smooth, no frills, nothing fancy. Duncan's very stoic, never shows any rah-rah. He's so good he sometimes puts you to sleep. I love watching him play. He can get more mature but you won't see it. He doesn't polish his own apple, he's quiet."
Mourning	Alonzo Mourning Heat	22.7 points, 10.2 rebs, .554 FG, 4.3 blk "He has really come on this season, and is in the top 10 in the three major categories. He has that tenacity, and works so hard. He's really one of the undersized centers, but he makes up for it in heart, grit and effort. He goes against guys heavier and taller and gives it to you like those guys do."
Malone	Karl Malone Jazz	25.7 points, 10.1 rebs, .505 FG, 1.2 stls "It's like the saying goes, not rain nor snow can stop the mailman from delivering, and that's the case here. Malone has withstood time. For so many years he has been an MVP-type, but again he's no frills. He's one of the great running big men in the game, very consistent, an outstanding player. He's been a great all-around player from day one, and still gets 26 points a game. He's not a center, but does yeoman's work. The game looks so easy with Duncan, but Malone -- you see him put his hard hat on."
Mutombo	Dikembe Mutombo Hawks	13.4 points, 14.6 rebs, .614 FG, 3.6 blk "Dikembe is different than the others. He's a sinewy center, doesn't appear real strong, but can stand up to the big guys who are stronger. He doesn't have the skills of the others, but he has a great ability to control the game on the defensive end. He makes the Hawks so good on defense, people don't come into the paint. They don't drive. If Atlanta was winning more, he could possibly be an MVP candidate."

Reader comments so far on Mad Dog's Top Five:

Get real. Dikembe Mutombo over Chris Webber? Name me one GM in the NBA that would take Mutombo over Webber. Webber is a dominating player on both ends of the floor while Mutombo is an average offensive player.

Corey Reid
Oakdale, Calif.

About your top five big men report, I was wondering why you didn't mention Kevin Garnett. After all he can play any position on the floor, which makes him really hard to defend for that reason. He should be considered for the league MVP.

Randy Roelike
Melrose, Minn.

Fine, Garnett isn't specifically a center. But Mutombo instead? Mutombo hasn't done anything in the last three years to merit making any top five list. I'd put Ewing ahead, though I'm from NYC. Next to Shaq and Duncan, Kevin Garnett is the scariest and most exciting (actually, he's the most exciting period) big man in the game today. And where's Fredric Weis?

Greg Alkalay
New York City

This question is about Fred's rankings on top five big men. How exactly does Mr. Carter justify having Alonzo Mourning third, behind Shaq, who doesn't even run back on defense at times and has so many other weapons on a team to compliment him. Zo is not only the heart and soul of the Heat, but is right now the MVP. Leadership should account for something and that is one thing that Shaq has none of.

Michael Aguirre
Miami