Screening the defender

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by PGCougar

So... I can dribble behind a wedge of teammates who just happen to be running down the lane looking to get set up offensively?

Why not? It's perfectly legal until contact is made. And even then, you have to judge any ensuing contact using guarding and screening principles. Once any player on the floor has established a straight-line path, no matter what direction that path is taking, then no opponent can crowd that player out of their path from the side. An opponent has to get in front of the player and establish an initial guarding position. If you jump in front of a moving player trying to establish your guarding position, then you gotta allow a maximum of two steps for that player to stop or go around you.

Iow, if you want to break up that wedge, you'd better get some defenders out in front of them. If you try to move them out of their established path from the side, the foul is gonna be on you. That's the point that was being made above, I think.