Screen
A move where a player legally positions their body to block or obstruct an opponent, creating space or an advantage for a teammate.
Definition
A screen is a blocking action in which one player uses their body to get in the way of an opponent so a teammate gains space or a better position. The player setting the screen usually stays still or moves legally, letting the defender run into or be delayed by them.
The exact use varies by sport, but the shared idea is creating separation for a teammate by legally impeding an opponent. Rules differ on how much contact and movement are allowed, so an illegal screen, such as moving into a defender, can be penalised.
Meaning by sport
This term is used differently across sports:
- Basketball
- A player plants their body to block a defender so a teammate can get free; also called a pick, as in the pick-and-roll.
- Ice Hockey
- An attacker stands in front of the goaltender to block their view of the shot, making it harder to stop.
- Volleyball
- The serving team is not allowed to screen, meaning they cannot hide the server or the ball's flight from the receiving team.
Where you’ll hear “screen”
Sports that use this term:
Basketball
A fast, dynamic team sport of running, jumping and quick decisions on court.
Ice Hockey
A fast team sport on ice that combines skating skill with quick passing and goal-scoring.
Volleyball
A non-contact team sport of rallies, jumps and teamwork — indoors or on the beach.
How it connects
The meaning-bearing relationships that place Screen in the wider knowledge graph — each one with the reason it exists.
Commonly confused with
Close enough to be mixed up — the distinction is worth knowing.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Screen to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Tactics
- Zone defenceA defensive system where each player guards an area of the court rather than a specific opponent.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- High pressA football tactic where a team hunts the ball high up the pitch to win it back close to the opponent’s goal.
- Counter-attackWinning the ball and moving forward at speed to attack before the opponent can reorganise their defence.
- Pick and rollA two-player basketball action where one player screens for the ball-handler, then rolls to the basket.
Decision making
- Positioning choicesDeciding where to place yourself — often before the ball arrives — to cover space, stay ready to act and shape what an opponent can do.
- Reading spaceSeeing where space is — and is not — on the field or court, and using it to decide where to move, pass or play.
- Reading an opponentPicking up an opponent's cues — stance, weight, positioning and habits — to sense what they are likely to do and decide how to respond.
Practice & sessions
- Mobility sessionA session built around moving well through a range of motion — gentle, controlled work to help the body move freely.
- Tactical sessionA session built around tactics — how you use space, position and patterns of play, rather than the mechanics of a shot.
- Technical sessionA session built around technique — grooving and refining the mechanics of how a movement or shot is executed.
- Conditioning sessionA session built around physical conditioning — developing the fitness qualities a sport draws on, rather than its skills or tactics.
Positions
- Small forwardThe small forward is a versatile wing player in basketball who can score inside and outside while also defending multiple positions.
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.
- CenterThe center is usually the tallest player on a basketball team, playing near the basket to score inside, rebound, and protect the rim.
- GoalkeeperThe goalkeeper is the last line of defence in football and the only player allowed to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.
- Shooting guardThe shooting guard is a perimeter player whose main role is to score, especially from mid-range and beyond the three-point line.
Strategies
- Exploiting MatchupsSteering play toward the pairings where you hold an advantage while shielding the pairings where an opponent could hurt you.
- Transition PlayTransition play is the strategy of switching quickly between attack and defence the moment possession changes, exploiting the opponent's brief disorganisation.
Player roles
- Utility playerA dependable, versatile player who can competently fill several different positions as the team needs, rather than specialising in just one.
- Ball-winnerA ball-winner is the player tasked with regaining possession through pressing, tackling and interceptions — a team's tireless defensive workhorse.
- PlaymakerThe playmaker is a team's creative hub — the player who orchestrates attacks, controls the tempo and distributes the ball so teammates can score.
- Target playerA target player is a focal attacker who receives, holds up and links play for others, often physically strong and good in the air or with the hands.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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