Celtics haven't lived up to their championship expectations

BOSTON -- It's a simple question.

Are the Boston Celtics championship material?

Even if the Celtics beat Cleveland in Game 7 on Sunday, the answer still could be no.

Somewhere, while attempting to restrain Rasheed Wallace from attacking a ref, the Detroit Pistons must be laughing their asses off.

"These are the guys," they must be thinking, "who are going to beat us?"

After one of the more impressive regular-season runs in recent NBA history, the Celtics barely beat the dreg-like Atlanta Hawks and failed to stomp on the necks of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston, it seems, also couldn't perform on the postseason road if Annie Savoy welcomed them to her hotel room.

No team has won an NBA championship without winning at least one postseason game away from home. Indeed, only three teams captured just one playoff road game en route to a title: the 1954 Syracuse Nationals, the 1955 Philadelphia Warriors and the 1964 Celtics. That's the kind of fire Boston has been playing with.

Sam Cassell's experience might be what the Celtics are missing on the road. (Getty Images)

It might be time to reevaluate the team so many of us -- including me -- thought would be practically unbeatable in the playoffs and ride a magic carpet to the NBA Finals.

They still could end up doing just that. If Boston defeats the Cleveland, it matches up well with Detroit, and it remains wholly possible the Celtics could cure their Andromeda Strain of a road virus.

Still they have some glaring road-infused flaws.

Here are 10 serious (and some not-so serious) ways the Celtics could cure their road ills:

10. Play Sam Cassell more. He's experienced and fearless. The raucous crowds don't faze him.

9. Don't buy the Eddie House hype. The Celtics point guard is good off the bench, but I'll still take Cassell, defensive shortcomings and all.