When Blake Ahearn was with the Erie BayHawks last season, I took free throw lessons from him and became an ace at the line.

OK. OK. I’m exaggerating, but he did help me learn how to shoot free throws better.

It’s in the feet, people. The feet.

Now with the Reno Bighorns, Ahearn surpassed the NBA record for most consecutive free throws made Saturday. Michael Williams has the NBA record of 97 from when he played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams started the streak in March 24 of the 1991-92 season. The streak ended in November 9, 1993.

As you’ll see below, Ahearn even shook off a little whistle interruption from the refs to pass Williams’ mark.

Now Ahearn is chasing the generally-recognized professional record of 138 straight free throws made by legendary coach John Wooden when he played for the independent Indianapolis Kautskys (1934-36), which Bill Pollock of missourinet.com reported Monday.

Keep swishing ‘em, Blake.

Ivan “The Hawk-Nest Monster” Johnson is at it again.

The former Erie BayHawks power forward had a double-double – 11 points, 10 rebounds – and hit the game-winning free throws with 4.6 seconds left to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 93-91 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

Johnson was 8-of-8 from the line for the game.

Gerald Green will make his debut with the Los Angeles D-Fenders in tonight’s D-League game against the Erie BayHawks at 7 at Tullio Arena.

The 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Champion was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers in training camp this month, but joined the D-Fenders through the D-League’s allocation rule which allows D-League teams to acquire up to three players waived from their NBA affiliates.

I talked with Green, 25, after today’s shootaround about being with the D-League, playing for former NBA coach Eric Musselman and what the 6-8, 200-pound forward expects in today’s 7 p.m. game.

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Here are five points I want to make about the Cavaliers’ 102-90 win against the Miami Heat at Quicken Loans Arena.

1. Great crowd. Great crowd. Great crowd. Cavs fans can still bring it.

2. Three to four years ago, I wrote Chris Bosh was overrated. Then he went out and proved me wrong, but after watching tonight’s game, maybe I wasn’t wrong after all. He played softer than diapers against Cleveland and got punked by Ryan Hollins. Shot 5-of-14 from the field. had just 10 points, only four rebounds and if I was playing the Heat, I’d go at him every time.

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Without the drama. Without ESPN. With much humor, though.

Didn’t need multiple cameras or an hour show, but you need to see this.

166,171 people already have on YouTube.

Anthony Tolliver, who has bounced back and forth from the D-League to the NBA, signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.

To make it official, Tolliver had his own ‘Decision‘ show like LeBron James when he told the world his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and take his talents to Miami and play for the Heat.

Sweeeet.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded the tough, but troubled Delonte West.

Very interesting trade here.

In their attempt to rebuild after losing LeBron James in free agency, the Cleveland Cavaliers have traded gritty, but troubled combo guard Delonte West and young  journeyman guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Ramon Sessions, center Ryan Hollins and Minnesota’s second round pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The Cavaliers officially announced the trade about a hour ago.

First off, big ups to my man Marc Spears at Yahoo! Sports for getting that out there to the masses. He just tweeted a few minutes ago the Timberwolves will waive West and trade Telfair.

Hmmm. If true, that’s sad, particularly for West.

For Cleveland, it’s all good on a variety of levels. The Cavaliers rid themselves of West, who for all his toughness on the court, was shaky off it. He just plead guilty to weapons charges dating back to last summer when he got caught with those guns. He isn’t going to jail, but will be on house detention.

So for the Cavaliers to get that burden off their neck can only help them. I interviewed West several times and he was always open and honest with me. You hope he does get it together.

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A 2010 D-League All-Star, Aminu played both NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Vegas.

Here’s how players who was with the Erie BayHawks at some point last season fared in the two NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

Combo guard Blake Ahearn (Finished with BayHawks after being traded from Bakersfield to Erie for Alade Aminu) played four games for the Houston Rockets in Las Vegas and scored 11 total points. Shot 14.3 percent from the field, was 2-of-11 from 3-point range and have seven assists to five turnovers.

Power forward Alade Aminu (Finished with Bakersfield after Erie traded him there for Blake Ahearn) played five games for the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas and four for the Charlotte Bobcats in Orlando. Aminu averaged 10 points and 4.4 rebounds for the Hawks, 5.5 points and four boards for the Bobcats. He had 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in his last game in Las Vegas.

Center John Bryant (Started and finished season with BayHawks) played two games for the Milwaukee Bucks in Las Vegas and scored two total points in 12 minutes. He attempted two shots total, made one.

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No one was more fun to watch in college basketball last season than Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall.

Let’s take a look at the first five picks of Thursday’s 2010 NBA Draft and see what they bring to the table.

1. Washington Wizards – John Wall (6-4, PG, Kentucky).
Strengths: Gifted athete, playmaker and brings size to PG position. Weaknesses: Needs to improve FT (Shot 75.4 percent at Kentucky), inexperience.
Impact on Wizards: Not only will he bring fans to the arena, Wall gives Washington a player they can immediately build around and put past troubles with the franchise.

2. Philadelphia 76ers – Evan Turner (6-7, SG/SF, Ohio State).
Strengths: Clutch, seasoned (played three years in college) and shoots a  high percentage  (shot 51.9 percent from the field last season). Weaknesses: Turnover prone and not as explosive around the rim in terms of finishing in traffic.
Impact on 76ers: Will have to play small forward, but teaming up with Andre Iguodala will give the 76ers two very good perimeter defenders. Has a very competitive edge, which Philadelphia has lacked in recent years.

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When you’re in the media, you get to know guys from other markets both regional and national.

So you show love when you see them.

The one guy I have to talk to every time he’s at a Cavalier game is TNT NBA anaylst Doug Collins.

That’s my dude right there.

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