If there are two hallmarks of these Trail Blazers, it is the team’s chemistry and culture.

The two traits are often hard to define or describe, so they are painted in broad strokes. The chemistry is good, for instance, because the players like each other. And the culture is solid, for instance, because the players put in time to work on their games.

So in an effort to both put a face on the chemistry, and to paint a picture of the culture, take a peek at the Blazers’ practice on Thursday, which was much like any other practice the past two seasons.

CAMP CULTURE

After the Blazers’ finished a nearly two hour practice, the team huddles at midcourt, puts their hand in the middle and shouts “Together!”

On some teams around the NBA, this would signify the end of the player’s work day.

Not in Portland.

Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh went to one basket to play one-on-one under the supervision of coaches.

Luis Montero, Jake Layman, Tim Quarterman and Grant Jerrett went to another court to work on shooting.

Damian Lillard, who is normally accompanied by CJ McCollum and Evan Turner, underwent a solo shooting workout with assistant David Vanterpool and player programs director Hersey Hawkins.

And on another court, Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless, Allen Crabbe and Shabazz Napier congregate for a daily shooting contest.

“Everybody works,’’ Harkless said. “When I was with the (Orlando) Magic, there were days when only two, three guys were in the gym before practice, maybe two or three guys after practice. Every day here, everyone is here before and everyone is here after.’’

If players aren’t on the court, they are in the weight room. And if they aren’t in the weight room, they are on the bench next to an assistant. On Wednesday, Turner watched a film session with Vanterpool on a laptop on the bench, then worked on his three-point shot afterward.

“The fact that everybody does it, it’s important,’’ Harkless said. “Because when guys come in who weren’t here last year – guys like Shabazz or Evan – or like me last season, you see everybody on the court or in the weight room and you have no other option. It’s either do that or go in the locker room and be by yourself.’’

The gym has an energy of intensity and playfulness. At one moment there might be cussing in disgust, the next cries of delight. And if there isn’t a player encouraging a teammate, there is a teammate talking trash to another.

“Sometimes I’ve been in gyms with teams and it’s dead silent; you don’t play around,’’ Aminu said. “But here, our coaches allow us to be ourselves. I like to play around, I like to have fun and I appreciate the coaches allowing me to do that. Because there’s a fine line with culture: if you play around too much and don’t take it serious, it can be a circus. We take everything serious and get our drills done, but we implement fun as well.’’

And nobody has more fun than Aminu and his group, which includes Crabbe, Harkless and Napier.

CHAMPIONING CHEMISTRY

On Wednesday, there was a new element to the Blazers’ practice gym: Four pictures taped to the padding behind one of the baskets: Head shots of Aminu, Crabbe, Harkless and Napier.

The pictures of Napier and Harkless were taped under the heading “Champions.” Below, the pictures of Aminu and Crabbe hung under the heading “Challengers.”

The champions were an indication of who won the previous day’s shooting competition, answering the question posted in all caps and red ink next to the photos: WHO’S COURT IS IT?

On Thursday, the pictures are back on the wall, but the placements have changed and there is one notable defect: Napier’s photo is heavily wrinkled, the result of Aminu tearing it down after he and Crabbe unseated the champions.

“Chief,’’ Harkless says, using Aminu’s nickname, “he talks a lot of junk.’’

Thursday, the group changed the game from teams to an individual competition, in part because Harkless had to miss the first part of the shooting drills to do a media obligation.

There were barbs. Efforts to distract. But more importantly, hundreds and hundreds of three-point attempts.

Napier on Thursday was the winner, and he proudly peeled his picture off the padding and elevated it to the under “The Champion” heading.

Aminu walked off the court, shaking his head.

“I mean shoot, I thought about this before practice,’’ Aminu said straight-faced. “I mean, I’m like, ‘I got to be ready for this.’’’

The game is the perfect combination to illustrate the team’s culture and chemistry. Last year, Aminu teamed with Gerald Henderson and went against Crabbe and Harkless, the competition always spirited and animated.

It could be why Aminu, Crabbe and Henderson all shot a career-high in three-pointers last season, with Aminu making the biggest jump from 27.4 percent to 36.1 percent.

“I think it’s a unique situation because we are working and getting better, but it’s fun too,’’ Aminu said.

A FUN PLACE

Already this season, the Blazers have made a September trip to San Diego to workout and have gone on a team paintball excursion organized by Harkless.

“When we have team events, most people go,’’ Mason Plumlee said. “That’s not always the case. I’ve done things like that with my old team (Brooklyn) and not everybody shows up.’’

Crabbe says scenes like Thursday, with Napier running his mouth and Aminu chagrined in defeat, are an indication of guys who like to have fun together and work together.

“I just like it because we all like to keep things competitive,’’ Crabbe said. “Coach will want us to get up shots as a unit, and we are like, ‘No, we want to make it so we are competing against each other. I think that’s why you always see us smiling, laughing. It just shows our culture; we like to compete.’’

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Added Harkless: “It makes it so it’s not monotonous. Instead of coming out here and shooting, 100, 200, 300 reps, we aren’t even counting because we are competing and having fun.’’

Nobody on Thursday had more fun that Napier, who after his shooting victory bellowed and sought congratulations from Lillard before puffing his chest as he applied his picture under the “Champion” sign.

After Friday’s exhibition game against Phoenix, there will be at least four guys anxious for the next practice: Napier to defend his title and Aminu, Crabbe and Harkless itching to tape their names under “The Champion.”

“The difference between teams winning and not winning is often the chemistry aspect of things,’’ Aminu said. “It can happen in the film, on the court, or at practice. Everybody here is able to be themselves, yet conform to what the team needs. We all want to get better, and we preach about ‘the process.’ This is just part of it.’’