The 25-year-old can continue her push towards the competition's most valuable player award when the Capitals host the Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena on Saturday in a match crucial to both teams' finals aspirations.

Bishop has taken her game to another level in attempting to keep the Capitals (6-11) within striking distance of the top four, averaging 24 points and 13.8 rebounds over her past five games.

The 2012 London Olympian has claimed back-to-back player of the week awards and will go into camp with the Opals at the AIS starting Sunday.

Graf, who coached the Opals from 2008 to 2012, believes Bishop's best is yet to come.

''I still don't think she's anywhere near peaked. I can't wait to see her at 28 and 29,'' Graf said. ''She's still got a lot of polish to add to her game.

''There's no question in my mind, she'll be a three or four-time Olympian, an All-Star in this league and a player that wins many, many championships and continues to play professionally for 10 years.''

Bishop is in her first season back in the WNBL after last year playing in France.

She played for the Capitals from 2006 to 2010 and also had stints with the Dandenong Rangers and Adelaide Lightning.

She is third in the league in scoring with 17.2 points per game (behind Dandenong's Jenna O'Hea on 19.9 and Townsville's Suzy Batkovic on 19) and second in rebounding with 10.1 per game (behind Batkovic on 12).

''One of my goals at the top of my list when I came back to Canberra was to be more consistent,'' Bishop said.

''I didn't start the season too well, but I think I've found my groove and, hopefully, I can keep that up.

''I've just been working on lots of little things in my game to help me with the Australian program as well. WNBL level is a lot different to international play. The key is to get my body right and work on the little things in my game.''

The Capitals showed some positive signs last weekend, going down by just three points to competition favourite Bendigo Spirit (84-81) before backing up the following night with a 84-77 victory on the road against Sydney University Flames.

And with five of their final seven games at home, Graf has not given up hope the Capitals can build momentum towards an unlikely push towards the play-offs.

''The mathematics aren't on our side, but we can't go looking too far ahead,'' Graf said.

''We didn't have a great start, but there's nothing we can do about that now.

''All we can do is take care of our own business, win this game then focus on the next.''

■ SATURDAY

WNBL round 14: Canberra Capitals v Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena, 3pm.