Rondo tore ligaments in his right knee last January. Two weeks late he was done for the season. Dr. James Andrews repaired the joint and estimated recovery time at 10 months.
Rondo has been in non-contact drills awaiting approval to step up his activity to five-on-five and scrimmages.
Andrews cleared Rondo on Friday.
"He won't play in games, is what I've been told, until after the first of the year," Stevens told The Boston Herald. "We're talking in big generalities there. I don't know when that means. It could mean a month from now, it could mean six weeks from now. "
Rondo is considered the Celtics' best player, and his return will give boost to a team that has done surprisingly well in his absence. Despite an 11-14 record, the Celtics are first in what has been an underwhelming Atlantic Division.
The Celtics next play on Monday, at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
NOWITZKI, CARLISLE MISS GAME
Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki and coach Rick Carlisle missed the Mavericks' game against Milwaukee because of an unspecified illness.
Both missed the team's shootaround earlier in the day and were not at American Airlines Center for the game.
Dallas assistant coach Monte Mathis filled in for Carlisle.
DENG BACK FOR BULLS
Luol Deng was back in Chicago's lineup after missing the previous four games because of a sore left Achilles, and Kirk Hinrich sat out the Bulls' game against Toronto because of back stiffness.
Deng, averaging 19.4 points and 7.1 rebounds, had not played since Dec. 5. But the Bulls were again short-handed, with Hinrich sitting out for the first time this season.
Coach Tom Thibodeau says "hopefully it won't be anything that lasts long."
The Bulls had dropped nine of 12 entering Saturday's game. Toronto had lost six of eight.
Contributors: Pete Dawson, The Associated Press
