Joel Embiid carries the weight of expectations differently than others. As his fanbase and national media have constructed stories that have him as the potential messiah in a decade-long process of experimental team-building, coupled with the unusual rabidity of Philadelphia sports fans, he has accepted this role sincerely.
For many, Kevin Durant's career has been less about his skills and more a cause for referendum on modern league politics, and on what happens when a player attempts to fully tell their own story.
Whatever mental hurdles the Celtics hope to overcome may not present themselves until the NBA Finals.