Don't Hit Me!!!

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bainsey

That's what I think, because according to 4-23-3c, LGP (if any) is lost once a defender moves straight back. If there's another rule that says otherwise, please show me.

Not true. While the letter of the rule may seem to imply that is the case, it is not the intent. The defender has an entire 180 degree range of directions that they may move and still maintain LGP.

Think about it mathematically for just a moment and it will make sense...

[Geek Mode On]....
If directly left is 0 degrees and directly right is 180 degree, straight back will be exactly and precisely 90 degrees and ONLY 90 degrees. Any deviation will be in an obliquue direction. There is NO way I can differentiate between a player moving at 90.000000 degrees and player moving at 90.000001 degrees. Furthermore, I think it would be effectively impossible for a player to move at an angle of exactly 90.000000... degrees. And all of that assumes that the reference plane between the players is static, when in reality, it is continuously shifting. The odds of a player moving exactly straight back are essentialy 0.
[Geek Mode Off]

Therefore, there is no way the rule is intended to exclude directly away.

Originally Posted by bainsey

4-40-6: I believe this screening rule applies to opponents moving AND facing the same direction, and neither are necessarily the ball handler. That is, if A1 is moving forward, and B2 is a foot behind him and running in the same direction, when A1 stops, B2 is responsible for the contact.

Where does screening ever require a player to face any specific direction? Either A1 or B2 from your example could be faciing any direction. It is ONLY about the path and the direction of movement.