ESPN

ROXBURY, Mass. -- Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo said he still has swelling in his injured left elbow, but noted he has full range of motion and doesn't expect it to be a major issue moving forward.

Rondo, appearing at a Red Bull event celebrating renovations at Malcolm X Park, admitted he can't participate in full-contact basketball activities quite yet, but is making progress.

"The elbow is getting better," said Rondo. "I got another check-up on it today. It's getting there. It's still a little swollen, [but] other than that, no problem."

Rondo added that he can engage in limited contact right now, but he's not pushing it. Then he quipped, "I think I did three push-ups today."

Asked if he was surprised he was able to return to the court after suffering the gruesome dislocation in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat in May, Rondo just shrugged and said the adrenaline propelled him.

A handful of other highlights from Rondo's visit on Tuesday:

* Asked when we could expect to see him back on the court Rondo joked "in about five minutes" referencing the dedication ceremony that was about to start at the park's lower court. Turning more serious, he admitted that there hadn't been a lot of positive talk between the players and owners lately about the lockout and said, from his perspective, "It's quiet right now."

* Rondo said Celtics players have been working out individually this summer with no plans yet for group workouts. He did say if the lockout lingers into the season, he expects the veterans to organize team activities.

* Glen Davis, spending much of his summer in the Boston area, dropped by simply to catch up with Rondo. When Mayor Menino spotted Davis, he asked Big Baby to join the photo op (hilarity ensued when Menino attempted to detail a fast-break situation with Davis and Rondo).

* Rondo confirmed what University of Kentucky coach John Calipari Tweeted last week and said he's planning on taking courses at the school during the lockout with the goal of working towards finishing his degree (Rondo had majored in Social Work, according to his Kentucky player bio). While Rondo left after just two years at the school, he suggested he had accumulated more than half of the credits necessary to get his degree thanks in part to hefty summer workloads and credits earned while still in high school.

The event Tuesday celebrated Rondo's "Boston's Got Wings" program, where Red Bull donated $500 for each of his steals during the 2010-11 season to refurbish courts overseen by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Joking that he played through a lot of injuries to run up his steal total, Rondo finished with 153 thefts this season for a total of $76,500.

Malcolm X Park's tiered courts were refurbished, backboards were repaired, and a sealcoat applied as part of that park's renovation. Thirteen area courts in total were refurbished, including the Back Bay Fens, Smith Playground, Ramsay Park, and Rogers Park.

Rondo also raised money for courts in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. and noted he was happy to give back both there and in his "second hometown" of Boston.

The NBA named Celtics guard Ray Allen the recipient of the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for January, recognizing his efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work. The NBA said it is honoring Allen in part for his efforts in supporting U.S. soldiers overseas and his commitment to supporting community-based programs for local youth and families.

(Read full post)

Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal made his latest public appearance Tuesday night, invading the Prudential Center food court to promote Oreo's Double Stuf Racing League. Check out the video above for a glimpse at the event.

Celtics captain Paul Pierce, his teammates, and local celebrities teamed to raise money for children’s health at his annual bowling tournament, "The Truth Strikes Again," earlier this month at Foxwoods. The event, which took place at High Rollers Luxury Lanes and Lounge, raised more than $300,000 for The Truth Fund, an initiative aimed at providing educational and life-enriching opportunities for underprivileged youth. (Video courtesy of Truth on Health)

Before the team departed for Orlando, reserve guard Nate Robinson visited Modell's Sporting Goods in Saugus for a Pop-a-Shot contest against fans. Check out Robinson in action below...

The Boston Celtics spread holiday cheer recently by spending time with young patients at the Boston Medical Center.

Celtics captain Paul Pierce will hold his The Truth Strikes Again Celebrity Bowling Tournament Friday night at Foxwoods Casino. Check out the video above as he talks about the event that brings together celebrities to raise money for Pierce's Truth on Health campaign.

Other upcoming events:

Allen assists in gift-giving: Celtics guard Ray Allen joins Red Sox slugger Kevin Youkilis to provide gifts to children in need Saturday from 4-6 p.m. at the Natick Collection. Shoppers can purchase gifts for needy children and get an autograph from the players.

Shaq & the Pops: Shaquille O'Neal makes his debut as conductor of the Boston Pops, leading the orchestra in a Christmas song Monday at Symphony Hall at 8 p.m.

Rondo & the Mayor: Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo will join Boston mayor Thomas Menino to celebrate his "Boston's Got Wings" park refurbishment program through RedBull. The pair will appear at Malcolm X Park in Roxbury to celebrate Rondo giving $500 per steal this season to clean up area courts.

Nate's Pop-a-Shot Contest: Nate Robinson will head to Modell's Sporting Goods in Saugus on Tuesday at 5 p.m. for a Pop-a-Shot contest that will feature local high school basketball players (but is open to the general public as well). Five finalists will be selected at random to participate in the shootout and the top shooter will move on to face Robinson in a best-out-of-five shots challenge. After the competition, all five participants will shop the Modell’s store alongside Robinson with complimentary Modell’s Gift Cards. Everyone in attendance at Modell’s during the competition will also receive a $5 Modell’s cash card.

For every steal generated by Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo this season, Red Bull will donate $500 towards a "Boston's Got Wings" fund aimed at refurbishing the city's parks. Based on his career steals average, Rondo could net upwards of $85,000 in donations this season.

With two steals in Tuesday's opener against the Miami Heat, Rondo generated the first $1,000 of the season.

“Every steal will be a little bit sweeter this season,” said Rajon Rondo. “I won’t only be helping my team win, but also fulfilling a need in the communities around Boston.”

A $15,000 donation for Rondo's first 30 steals is earmarked for Malcolm X Park in Roxbury.

"We look forward to Rondo using his skills in the NBA to benefit the basketball courts in Boston's neighborhoods," said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "Rajon has led in steals from his freshman year at Kentucky to last season with the Celtics, so we are confident that he and Red Bull will be making a substantial contribution to our city parks.",

New courts will be considered in 30-steal intervals and voting for new parks will take place online at www.redbullusa.com/rondo. Check out the video embedded at the top of this entry for more details.

ALLEN SHOOTS 3-POINTERS TO SUPPORT JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER

In a season in which he is set to become the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals, Ray Allen is utilizing his sharpshooting to generate funds for the Joslin Diabetes Center.

Fans are asked to make a $3 donation each time he connects on a trifecta and can do so for the entire season, or pick an individual month during Boston's 2010-11 campaign. At the end of the Celtics' season, the Joslin Diabetes Center and Allen's mother, Flora Allen-Hopson, will host a special VIP reception to thank full-season supporters who donated $3 for each 3-point shot (full-season participants will also be entered into raffles for prizes like sitting courtside with Allen-Hopson).

Allen's been a supporter of the Joslin Center since his son, Walker, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

“When Ray told me that Walker was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, I was devastated, not only for little Walker, but also for my son and daughter-in-law," said Allen-Hopson. "No mother wants to see her son face something like this, but I knew Ray and Shannon would overcome their worry to get the best care for Walker. And they did, thanks to the Joslin Diabetes Center. As Ray’s No. 1 fan, I’m excited to cheer him on this season as he supports the Joslin High Hopes Fund and the millions of families living with diabetes today.”

For more information about Ray’s $3 for 3’s, visit http://events.joslin.org/3for3/.