This week in Mad Dog's Top Five Carter discusses five veteran players who are still contributing to their teams.

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MAD DOG'S TOP 5 VETERANS STILL DOING THE JOB
Hornacek	Jeff Hornacek Jazz	13.8 points, .972 FT "He is like a fine wine -- he got better with age. He is one of the most proven shooters in the game, whether he's shooting twos or threes. People also don't realize that he is an outstanding passing guard, and that is of tremendous value to a team like Utah. Jeff has tremendous hand-eye coordination and a great feel around the basket."
Oakley	Charles Oakley Raptors	6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 27.9 minutes "With Charles you get a tremendous leader. If you are looking for stats, you're not going to find them here with him. He does the dirty work, drawing the charge or grabbing the key rebound. His stats, no, but he is getting good rebounds along with Kevin Willis there in Toronto. Oak may be the most physical and competitive guy in the league."
Porter	Terry Porter Spurs	9.1 points, .429 three-point FG "This is a guy who just refuses to get old. He can still do it, especially when it comes to leadership. He's still searching for that elusive NBA title. He came close in Portland and left Miami to come to San Antonio, where he has an outstanding opportunity. He's a point guard or a two-guard, it doesn't matter, and he hits threes and open shots. And he remains an outstanding defender, even at his age."
Cummings	Terry Cummings Warriors	8.2 points, 5 rebounds "The big guy from DePaul can still play. He was out of the league at one point, but the Warriors got him back and he does a great job, like he did in the win over the Heat on Tuesday (15 points, 5 rebs). He's always been an offensive player, and he makes shots down the stretch of games by driving or hitting jumpers. He's a classy player and person."
Green	A.C. Green Lakers	6.5 points, 7.2 rebounds "Like a pair of old shoes, you never get rid of him, and he's always comfortable. A.C. knows how to rebound and defend, and he comes to work every day for a full day or work. L.A., Phoenix, Dallas, and now the Lakers got him back. A.C. has played in more than 1,000 straight games (1,051), and he always puts his heart out on the line. My hat is off to A.C."

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

Way to go Fred. I totally agree that Charles Oakley belongs. Without a doubt, he is the Raptor captain. Forget about the fancy dunks, Oak is the only guy on this team that can deliver a W through sheer will. If they kept stats on defense as much as offense, he would be near the top. And we all know that defense wins games.

Roger Rayner
Toronto

Has Fred forgotten that Karl Malone is a veteran? Just because he has not diminished at all in the 14½ years he has been playing for Utah should not disqualify him from the veteran contributors. He started the same year as A.C. Green, Oakley, Porter and the year before Hornacek. Talk about a guy who refuses to get old. Malone is still a superstar -- how many of these guys will make the All-Star team this year?

I agree that these guys are doing a good job for their teams right now, but are they the best players who have been in the league for more than 13 years (it appears 14 years in the league is the minimum in this group). Maybe this should be called "The five guys who used to be really good, have dropped a notch, but still make a difference." Another possibility (from a previous week's title): "Mad Dog's Top Five: Surprise Veterans who are still alive and kicking."

Marlowe Dayley
Los Angeles

How do you have the audacity to leave Johnny Newman of the Nets off your list of the top five veteran players in the league. He's the only playing consistent basketball in New Jersey at all. His numbers don't jump out at you but neither does A.C. Green, who for some strange reason did make your list.

Craig Hanft
Staten Island, N.Y.