Van Exel-lent Start: Lakers Beat the Suns : Pro basketball: Rookie guard leads the way in 116-108 victory with 23 points. L.A. reserves come through.

At what was supposed to be the dawn of a new Laker era, their Sunshine Boys served notice they aren’t ready to be a memory yet.

Neither, apparently, are the Lakers.

With two starters on the injured list and a third, Doug Christie, available but held out because of a sprained ankle, they got significant contributions from old-timers Tony Smith, James Worthy, Sedale Threatt and Kurt Rambis to open the season with a 116-108 victory over the Phoenix Suns before 17,505 at the Forum on Friday night.

Laker rookie Antonio Harvey got into early foul trouble and made little impact in 14 minutes. But Nick Van Exel, the other rookie starter, had a team-high 23 points and eight assists. His fourth-year backcourt mate, Smith, added 20 points, tying a career high in only his 11th pro start.

Divac had 18 points and eight rebounds, Worthy 17 points off the bench. Threatt had nine points. Rambis, for most of training camp questionable even to make the team but kept largely because of his rebounding, had seven rebounds and relieved Harvey in 26 minutes of Charles Barkley guard duty.

“Old horses do have some kick in them now and then,” Rambis said.

Said Coach Randy Pfund: “It was a good blend. The young guys played hard and showed their inexperience. The vets stepped forward and gave us some nice stability.”

Barkley had 38 points, 24 in the second half, and 11 rebounds, but missed 10 of 18 free throws and took the blame for the loss. A.C. Green had 25 points and eight rebounds in his Phoenix debut and Forum homecoming, and Kevin Johnson added 22 points and nine assists.

It was a night of abnormal sights. Green was getting booed whenever he touched the ball. Threatt was a reserve. A rookie was in the Lakers’ opening-night starting lineup for the first time since Worthy in 1982, and this is believed to be the first time they started two first-year players since coming to Los Angeles.

The distinction went to Van Exel and Harvey, who got perennial All-Star Johnson and league MVP Barkley to cut their teeth on.

“Most of the guys have been pretty helpful, giving me little tips and things like that,” Harvey said before the game. “There were a few of those reality remarks--Charles Barkley is a monster. But it’s cool.

“What is there really to worry about? Worry that he will score 25 points on me? He got 25 on just about everybody last year.”

It was Harvey’s first non-exhibition game since last spring, when he faced the College of the Ozarks in the first round of the NAIA tournament. It was Van Exel’s first start since the NCAA tournament. And Trevor Wilson’s first since Spain.

If they were fazed opening against the defending Western Conference champions, it didn’t show. The Lakers had an eight-point lead within 7 1/2 minutes. When that disappeared in the second quarter, they finished the first half with a 14-4 surge for a 58-49 lead. And when the the Suns closed within 73-70, the Lakers dug in again, this time pulling away by 85-76 before Green finished the period with a three-point play.

“They took control of the game and we couldn’t get it back,” Phoenix Coach Paul Westphal said. “We just have to give them a lot of credit.”

Laker Notes

Nick Van Exel’s start at point guard meant Sedale Threatt came off the bench for the first time in his Laker career, a span of 164 games before Friday. His run of 186 consecutive starts, dating to his final 22 games with Seattle, also ended, the third-longest active streak in the league. “There were some games I did not start in the preseason,” said Threatt, who has consistently supported the move because it will allow him to use his versatility to play both backcourt spots. “I’m a veteran and have been around a long time. I’ve just got a different role now.”

Seven of the 12 Lakers on the active roster were not with the team on opening night a year ago, making it the team’s most drastic turnover in 16 seasons. The holdovers are Vlade Divac, James Edwards, Tony Smith, James Worthy and Threatt. That does not count Anthony Peeler and Elden Campbell, both returnees, but on the injured list. “It’s kind of funky playing against the Lakers when you don’t know any of their players,” the Suns’ Charles Barkley said.