TNT’s Baron Davis mocks T.J. McConnell during Sixers-Celtics broadcast

Kevin McHale wasn’t the only member of TNT’s broadcast team to say something notable during the Sixers’ 112-109 loss to the Boston Celtics Tuesday night.

During TNT’s halftime show, studio analyst and former All-Star Baron Davis wasn’t impressed with T.J. McConnell, who came off the bench to give the Sixers a bit of a spark during the first half.

“He plays hard, through, B.D. He plays hard,” fellow host Shaquille O’Neal insisted.

“My homeboy is always in the group text talking about how great T.J. McConnell is,” Davis said. “I have no disrespect for him — he plays hard. But anybody can do that.”

Naturally, that led to an outcry from Sixers fans on social media, and Davis responded on Twitter following the game.

McConnell played a total of 13 minutes off the bench, and finished the game with nine points on 5-of-7 shooting, including one three pointer. He also had three assists.

For whatever reason, McConnell’s dogged play and tenacity tends to rub some broadcasters the wrong way. Last May, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, ESPN Pardon the Interruption co-host Michael Wilbon ripped the point guard after he appeared to stare down at his “hot hand” after a full-court layup.

“I believe the Sixers are going to become hateable for the rest of the nation very soon,” Wilbon told co-host Tony Kornheiser. "Some little dude named T.J. is looking at his hand like he’s Shaq.”

Earlier this month, ESPN fired studio host Adnan Virk as part of an investigation into the sharing of confidential company information.

Now, Virk is speaking out, denying he leaked any confidential information in a statement to The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch.

“Much of what has been reported about my termination from ESPN is false and, I think, defamatory,” Virk wrote in the statement. “Suffice it to say, that I believe that I did nothing wrong that would justify my termination and I categorically deny that I leaked any confidential or proprietary information."

Virk added that he and his lawyers were working to settle their differences with ESPN, which reportedly accused him of leaking stories about the network’s plans for Baseball Tonight to Awful Announcing.

"I think that, while we are attempting to settle our differences, it is not productive for me to advocate my positions or to assert any affirmative claims in the press,” Virk wrote.

Since his termination, Virk has had at least one high-profile defender — James A. Miller, co-author of the ESPN book Those Guys Have All the Fun.

“This is a guy who had worked there for nine years. He bled ESPN. He’s got four young boys. He’s got a moral compass despite the fact that some people now are saying otherwise,” Miller said on the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch last week. “We’re talking about a situation where somebody is fired — fired, not suspended, fired — for talking on background, which basically is confirming something.”

• ESPN is considering former Patriots tight end Ben Watson for an on-air role, according to the Sporting News’ Michael McCarthy. The network does have a hole to fill on Sunday NFL Countdown thanks to Charles Woodson’s departure.

• Can’t get enough coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine? You’re in luck — the NFL will air some of this year’s “underwear Olympics” on ABC, yet another sign that the league is playing nice with ESPN under new president Jimmy Pitaro. Trey Wingo will host ABC’s coverage on Saturday, March 2, along with fellow ESPNers by Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Louis Riddick, Chris Mortensen, and Adam Schefter.