Capitals coach Paul Goriss says Kelsey Griffin [back] is likely to miss the first week while Tahlia Tupaea is at least a week away with a shoulder injury.

Marianna Tolo and Britt Smart are hopeful of suiting up for the Capitals against the Adelaide Lightning at Mackay Stadium on Wednesday night.

But the Capitals won't be pushing the panic button given they have already endured a manic pre-season.

"We still haven't played together yet, the most we've had is eight or nine suiting up for a game, we haven't had our 12 together," Goriss said.

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"People say we've got so many returning, but we have new people too, and we haven't had Kelsey for all pre-season, Tolo has done some of it, Tahlia has missed some of it, Britt has too, Mik [Ruef] was away with QBL.

"As much as there might be chemistry there, we've got newer players who are still trying to find out how to play together.

"You don't prepare for having an MVP like Kelsey and an all-star, one of the best defenders in the league like Tolo, to not be playing.

"It changes how you've got to play, combinations and chemistry on the floor with people out of position a little bit. That's going to be a matter of learning on the go for us, it's not going to be smooth at the start."

The Capitals were slated to play a pre-season game against Perth on Monday before the match was scrapped, with Goriss saying it may be something of a blessing in disguise.

The Capitals coach would have loved for his side to get a game under their belts but one less pre-season game eases the workload for a side bracing for four games in the opening eight days.

"The mantra I've tried to instil is we've got to get better every game and get better as we add people in," Goriss said.

"We don't need to be perfect, we don't need to be playing our greatest basketball at the start, but we do need to be improving and playing our best basketball when it counts coming into finals."

CANBERRA CAPITALS 2020 FIXTURE

All times in AEDT.

Round one: Wednesday, November 11 - Adelaide Lightning v Canberra Capitals at Mackay Stadium, 6pm.

Round one: Sunday, November 15 - Canberra Capitals v Townsville Fire at Mackay Stadium, 8pm.

Round two: Monday, November 16 - Canberra Capitals v Bendigo Spirit at Mackay Stadium, 6pm.

Round two: Wednesday, November 18 - Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals at Mackay Stadium, 6pm.

Round two: Saturday, November 21 - Sydney Flames v Canberra Capitals at Cairns Pop-Up Arena, 9.30pm

Round three: Monday, November 23 - Southside Flyers v Canberra Capitals at Cairns Pop-Up Arena, 6pm.

Round three: Wednesday, November 25 - Canberra Capitals v Sydney Flames at Cairns Pop-Up Arena, 6pm.

Round three: Thursday, November 26 - Canberra Capitals v Perth Lynx at Cairns Pop-Up Arena, 7pm.

Round three: Saturday, November 28 - Bendigo Spirit v Canberra Capitals at Townsville Stadium, 7.30pm.

Round four: Tuesday, December 1 - Canberra Capitals v Melbourne Boomers at Townsville Stadium, 5pm.

Round four: Friday, December 4 - Canberra Capitals v Adelaide Lightning at Townsville Stadium, 6pm.

Round four: Sunday, December 6 - Townsville Fire v Canberra Capitals at Townsville Stadium, 6pm.

Round five: Thursday, December 10 - Perth Lynx v Canberra Capitals at Townsville Stadium, 7pm.

Round five: Saturday, December 12 - Canberra Capitals v Southside Flyers at Townsville, 5pm.