Celtics Clobber Royals But Lose Eastern Title

Philadelphia crushed Boston's hopes for its tenth straight Eastern division title National Basketball Association play today with a 108-104 win over Baltimore. The Celtics meanwhile beat Cincinnati 121-104 but stayed a game behind the 76ers as the season closed.

Boston won its last seven games, but Philadelpdia stayed just out of reach by winning its last 11 straight.

In the Celtic game, Sam Jones and Tom Sanders helped turn a 51-48 halftime deficit into a 72-64 fourth quarter lead with a third quarter rally in which Sanders scored 13 points in less than eight minutes. Bill Russell got seventeen points for the game and sparked the team with 28 rebounds. Royals stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas were held to 24 and 23 points respectively.

The '76ers trailed at half-time in their game against Baltimore, but outscored the Bullets 38-16 in the third period behind Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer. At one point Philadelphia, behind 72-56, scored an incredible 24 points in a row to go ahead 80-71. Chamberlain and Greer each wound up with 24 points for the game.

Although Boston's nine-year streak as divisional champion has ended, the Celtics still have a chance at their eighth consecutive N.B.A. title. They take on Cincinnati in the Eastern division semi-final playoffs starting Wednesday at the Boston Garden.

Another Chance

Boston beats Cincinnati in that three of five series, it will have another shot at the 76ers in the four out of seven Eastern division playoff finals. The winner of that series will take on the Western Division playoff champion to decide the NBA title.

Chamberlain, most valuable player of the season in the N.B.A., shouted during the victory celebration in the '76ers dressing room, "I want the big title. This is just a down payment on the big one." Commenting on the game. Wilt said, "I don't think of the win personally. All it does it put about $3000 in my rocket."

In Western division play yeserday, St. Louis beat Detroit 121-117 to clinch a place in the Western playoffs.