Kevin Love understands the hate, but he says his dismissive inbounds pass Monday night was due to frustration with the referees and not an indication he is giving up at the end of another losing season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

A video of the five-time All-Star forward went viral earlier this week after Love angrily knocked the ball onto the court for a turnover and a 3-point shot by Raptors guard Malachi Flynn late in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to Toronto.

“The intent there wasn’t malicious. It wasn’t against the team,” Love told USA Today. “Not to say too much that could get me fined, but it was the officiating.

“When I snagged that ball, I didn’t realize it wasn’t even inbounds. I was a little thrown off. I was going to go grab it and throw back into passing the ball to [teammate Darius Garland] and move on. I get the optics. That’s something I have to take on the chin and understand that was a very bad look.”

With 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Flynn dribbled past Love for a layup. Love appeared to be pushed from behind by Toronto’s Freddie Gillipsie on the play, but no foul was called. He stared at official Courtney Kirkland, and swatted the ball away as another official, Brandon Schwab, attempted to hand it to him for the inbounds play. Toronto’s Stanley Johnson secured the loose ball and passed it to Flynn for the wide-open 3-pointer.

The 32-year-old Love, who was benched for the fourth quarter by coach J.B. Bickerstaff, said he apologized to the team, the coaching staff and members of the front office after the game in the locker room.

“They all understand it was a quick moment,” said Love, who isn’t expected to be disciplined by the organization, according to the report. “It’s something that you handle internally. 

“Over the course of the season, these types of things happen. Now in the world that we live in, that becomes a viral video or a meme. Everybody starts to talk about it. But with the relationship I have with my teammates, coaches and front office, everybody will take these 24-48 hours and then move on.”

Bickerstaff called the play “a lapse in judgment” and said he’s spoken to Love about it.

Love has appeared in 18 games this season for the Cavs (21-40) averaging just 11.7 points per game – the second-lowest scoring output of his 13-year career. In the second season of a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the rebuilding Cavs, Love insisted he’s committed to the franchise.

“Whatever you give to the game, it’s going to give back to you,” Love said. “So I feel doing right by them will leave it in a really good place. When it’s all said and done, when they look back, they’re going to say, ‘This guy helped me.’ That’s something I hold a lot of equity in — just being able to help that next guy.

“You have to set a standard, especially as someone like myself being in my 13th year and doing right for this team the entire year. Sometimes that one thing or one bad moment can mess up how the exterior — the people on the outside — might look at you. But for me, I just have to do the right thing and feel good in that.”