Kelvin Upshaw

The Chicago Bulls picked up the option on Cliff Levingston; the Philadelphia 76ers let Rick Mahorn become a free agent; the New York Knicks tendered a qualifying offer to John Starks, but not to Kenny Walker and Greg Grant.

San Diego State guard Anthony Watson and center Leonard Allen were named to the All-Western Athletic Conference team selected by the league's coaches and media representatives. BYU forward Timo Saarelainen, Texas El Paso forward Juden Smith and UTEP guard Luster Goodwin joined Watson and Allen on the first team. Watson, a 6-foot 3-inch junior, led SDSU in scoring with a 17.3 average per game and in steals with a total of 49. Allen, a 6-10 senior, averaged 14.9 points and a team-leading 8.

Hank Egan, the University of San Diego's basketball coach, is hoping his team will be as successful as some say, as the Toreros are one of the favorites to win the West Coast Athletic Conference championship. But Egan will begin the 1986-87 season in a place where success has been as rare as a 7-footer playing at the Air Force Academy--the Utah Special Events Center.

Kelvin Upshaw scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half as Utah opened a 16-point lead over 15th-ranked Texas El Paso and held on to defeat the Miners, 71-67, in a Western Athletic Conference basketball game at Salt Lake City Friday night. Jerry Stroman finished with 18 points, and Mitch Smith had 12 for the Utes (15-8 overall and 7-4 in the conference). Dave Feitl paced UTEP (21-4, 9-3) with 25 points.

The home court can hardly be considered an advantage for the San Diego State basketball team this season. After all, the Aztecs are 6-0 on the road and 4-2 at home. San Diego State began Western Athletic Conference play last week by winning on the road against Wyoming (60-57) and the Air Force Academy (88-73). The Aztecs return home tonight at 7:30 when they play host to Utah in the Sports Arena, where they average 3,715 fans.

Larry Bird, who broke a small bone in his back in a scrimmage Saturday, returned to the court with the Boston Celtics Monday, despite reports that he would go to Indiana for rehabilitation and that normal recovery for such an injury is at least a month. Eddie Lacerte, the Celtics' trainer, said Bird, who had been expected to return to his home in French Lick, Ind., had practiced at his own request, but was not at full strength.

As the days and games continue, there is less and less doubt as to what the Celtics will do when Michael Smith is deemed fit to play. Against big odds, Charles Smith has survived. And Kelvin Upshaw, who provided more than a few bright moments last season, has not. Both players are safe now. Michael Smith practiced Thursday, but the No. 1 draft pick is not ready to return. Said Coach Jimmy Rodgers, "It is getting close. We're trying to identify where he is and go from there."

The mood Monday was hardly one of fear or desperation. Nothing that transpired on the Boston Garden floor would lead an onlooker to think that it might be the last practice of a long season for the Boston Celtics. Robert Parish, kept out of shooting drills because of his tender right elbow, mercilessly mocked teammates Kelvin Upshaw and Ron Grandison. Larry Bird perspired like Moses Malone and stayed for some three-on-three with the scrubs. He is still on hold until the next series, or next season, whichever comes first.

Paul Westhead, the former Laker coach now at Loyola Marymount, was watching Cal State Fullerton and Utah battle for the championship of the Utah tournament Saturday night from press row. Fullerton was leading, 29-21, late in the first half when he leaned over to a reporter and said: "I was at a tournament years ago when (St. John's coach) Lou Carnesecca told me that you should never get ahead of a home team early . . .