The Capitals have lost their first two games at home this year and are aiming to break the run when they play the Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena on Friday night.

The club has lost three home games to start a season only once since the 2001-02 campaign.

In that time they have won six championships.

Bishop, who played in titles in 2008-09 and 2009-10, was adamant the Capitals could rebuild their confidence by beating Adelaide.

The Capitals' biggest deficiency so far has been their lack of rebounding, prompting coach Carrie Graf to describe it as ''under-12s basketball''.

''It's about getting a bit of mongrel and just doing it. We didn't realise it was so bad until we watched the tape,'' Bishop said.

''It's everyone's responsibility … teams have outmuscled and out-hustled us. When we get that bit of mongrel it's going to make a huge difference.''

The Capitals play only three out of their next 10 games at the AIS Arena and Graf is trying to usher in a new generation to guide the team back to the finals.

Adelaide beat the Capitals by 11 points two weeks ago and Bishop was fouled out in the last quarter.

Bishop and star recruit Nat Hurst were part of Canberra's most successful era.

Hurst is a seven-time championship winner back in the capital after a stint playing in France.

''I haven't been in many Canberra teams which have had to dig themselves out of big holes … I've never felt like this after a loss in Canberra,'' Hurst said. ''It comes back to our starts in games and we won't have to worry about that.

''We have shown we know how to fight back. We've shown flashes of brilliance, but we need that more than 10-15 minutes in every game.''

The Capitals have lost three of their four games to start the season, including a 23-point defeat to defending champion Bendigo last weekend.

Graf is confident the Capitals will click in coming weeks.

''At times we look like gymnasts and jockeys [in the rebounding contest], but we'll work our way through,'' Graf said.