Rockets should provide a big test for Lakers

Now the Lakers move on to their toughest test to date when they play the Houston Rockets on Sunday night at Staples Center.

The Lakers are 4-0 and considered among the best teams in the NBA, one capable of winning the NBA championship.

The Rockets are 4-2 and considered a team with the right mix to compete for a title.

"They're a good team," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "They're deep and they are experienced. . . . They'll be a real challenge for us."

The Lakers have won by an average of 20.7 points. The Rockets' four victories are by an average of 10.5 points.

"I think it's a good opportunity for both teams to just continue to gauge where we each are," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. "It's way too early to start aligning the stars and saying who's going to do what and accomplish what. But four or five games into the season, I think it's a very good matchup."

Houston has Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and Ron Artest, a big three of sorts.

"It's a good opportunity, and for it to be on our home court first is good," Fisher said. "Hopefully, we kind of shake off some of the rust and get the kinks out and really be ready to play at a playoff level, because Houston is going to come out and play hard. They are going to play intense."

The addition of Artest, whom the Rockets acquired from the Sacramento Kings in August, gives Houston a big-time defender against Kobe Bryant.

"I think it's our first really big challenge out there," Lakers center Andrew Bynum said. "They have a lot of guys who are capable of doing well the same way as we do."

Jackson said Artest is a "stopper" on defense.

The Rockets have a second stopper too.

At 7 feet, 285 pounds, Bynum usually is the tallest and longest player on the court.

Not so against the Rockets.

Bynum will be looking up at 7-6, 310-pound Yao.

"I normally can out-reach people," Bynum said. "That's something I'm not going to be able to get away with, so you've got to change it up a bit. On the defensive end, you got to try to keep him as far from the basket as possible. He's got the fade-away, which makes him tougher."

Yao is averaging 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds a game.

Bynum said Yao poses a big challenge.

"It changes the game because you could play good [defense] but he could still turn around and shoot the ball," Bynum said. "You just kind of want to get him out of his comfort zone, body him up a lot and run him."

Turner is a Times staff writer.

broderick.turner@latimes.com