Screening vs Guarding

[Camron Rust]

Originally posted by rainmaker
Okay, I'm confused. let's see if we can ask the questions that will straighten this thing out a little.

1) (a)It appears that screening and guarding are two different animals and (b) the rules that apply to them are different. Is that the case? (PS This is a two-part yes/no question. No essay required).

(a) Yes
(b) Yes

Originally posted by rainmaker

2) From the rule book it seems that guarding is done only by defenders. The definition appears to exclude offense from guarding. Right? Yes/No -- with some small explanation

Yes...as you said, by definition. What's there to guard if you're on offense.

Originally posted by rainmaker

3) The rule book doesn't seem to eliminate the possibility that a defender would set an illegal screen. It apparently doesn't happen very often, but it's still within the legal definitions?

Correct.

Originally posted by rainmaker

4) What are the subtle differences between illegal screens and legal guarding? between legal screens and illegal guarding? etc

You can set a screen having never faced the opponent but you can be moving except directly away from the opponent.

A defender could set a screen on an offensive opponent by legally getting into their path (with sufficient time/distance and becoming stationary) but with their back to them the entire time. They don't have LGP unless they face them. They can't move laterally. But, by putting their body in that path, they've prevent or delayed the offensive opponent from going where they wanted to go.