At least some of the discussion has indicated that he has been struggling with a foot problem for quite awhile... possibly initially occurring Dec 31? He's definitely looked decreasingly explosive as the season has progressed, and he's also seemed to be a bit pained and "hitchy in the giddy-up" at times. Was he 90% the last 2-3 weeks? 80%?
I wonder how much of our late season dip was him struggling with it, more and more (70%?), but trying to fight through it anyway. Since he's a team leader and always capable of big moments (even increasingly hampered), he stayed on the floor for huge minutes... but, not as effective as right after the "break" (@wisky, OSU, Iowa, @Indiana) nor as effective as before it.
Johns can't give us what Livers did, when he was at his best. But, I wonder if a fully healthy Johns can give us more than hampered Livers was able to give us late in the season, and a decent fraction of what sorta-hampered Livers gave us at other times in 2021, if the coaches can install in him the "you have to step up for your teammate, because there is noone else!" intensity that kinda seems to work with him. (Worked last year, when Livers was out, and worked Sat vs OSU IMO.) And, frankly, Johns was giving us very little for much of the season to this point... so, the "Johns as backup 4 and 3rd 5" loss from having him take Livers's spot isn't a huge thing.
I guess I'm wondering if the drop-off from the "one seed Michigan" we were looking forward to watching in this tourney will be significantly less than it appears. Still a drop-off, but much less than straight reduction of team by one full star player...
I wonder how much of our late season dip was him struggling with it, more and more (70%?), but trying to fight through it anyway. Since he's a team leader and always capable of big moments (even increasingly hampered), he stayed on the floor for huge minutes... but, not as effective as right after the "break" (@wisky, OSU, Iowa, @Indiana) nor as effective as before it.
Johns can't give us what Livers did, when he was at his best. But, I wonder if a fully healthy Johns can give us more than hampered Livers was able to give us late in the season, and a decent fraction of what sorta-hampered Livers gave us at other times in 2021, if the coaches can install in him the "you have to step up for your teammate, because there is noone else!" intensity that kinda seems to work with him. (Worked last year, when Livers was out, and worked Sat vs OSU IMO.) And, frankly, Johns was giving us very little for much of the season to this point... so, the "Johns as backup 4 and 3rd 5" loss from having him take Livers's spot isn't a huge thing.
I guess I'm wondering if the drop-off from the "one seed Michigan" we were looking forward to watching in this tourney will be significantly less than it appears. Still a drop-off, but much less than straight reduction of team by one full star player...
