NBA PLAYOFFS / UPDATE : LAKERS : Is Rebuilding in Green’s Plan?

The Lakers’ decline might affect A.C. Green’s thinking when he becomes a free agent after the playoffs.

Knowing the team is in a rebuilding period “is something I have to look at and evaluate, but my decision will not be based solely on that,” Green said.

Green has said the Lakers have told him they want to re-sign him, but both sides agreed to hold off talks until after the season.

“I don’t even want to think about life without A.C. Green. That’s a scary thought,” Coach Randy Pfund said earlier this week.

*

The Suns were 16-3 during the regular season with the starting lineup they used Friday: Charles Barkley and Cedric Ceballos at forward, Mark West at center, and Negele Knight and Dan Majerle at guard. The Lakers were 5-8 with Elden Campbell and Green at forward, Vlade Divac at center and Byron Scott and Sedale Threatt at guard. . . . The Lakers, eliminated by Portland in four games in the first round last season, have never been eliminated in the first round two years in a row. Entering postseason play, their .600 winning percentage (293-195) was the best in NBA history.