[blindzebra]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Yes, it absolutely is a legitimate question. But as was demonstrated by our previous 30 page thread on this exact same topic last year, there is no conclusive answer. I don't want to have to relive that thread, that's all.

Actually there is:

ART. 3 . . . After the initial legal guarding position is obtained:

a. The guard may have one or both feet on the playing court or be airborne, provided he/she has inbound status.
b. The guard is not required to continue facing the opponent.
c. The guard may move laterally or obliquely to maintain position, provided it is not toward the opponent when contact occurs.
d. The guard may raise hands or jump within his/her own vertical plane.
e. The guard may turn or duck to absorb the shock of imminent contact.

If you are moving laterally you aren't in their path, you are moving parallel or at an angle to their path, yet LGP is not lost. IOW, path is needed to ESTABLISH LGP, but not necessarily to keep it. That applies to closely guarded as well. Once the defender has met the criteria for guarding, all they need is to keep A1 in front of them and be within 6 feet. Head and shoulders only applies to when they are in their direct path, not in every direction.