Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash in the second half during an NBA basketball game against Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 4, 2014. Dallas Mavericks won 107-95. (Keith Birmingham Pasadena Star-News)

Lakers guard Steve Nash experienced backlash from various Lakers fans for posting an Instagram video this week that showed him hitting a golf ball at an undisclosed driving range. In addition to deleting the video, Nash also wrote on his Facebook account both to clarify the golf swing controversy and detail the recurring back injuries that led the Lakers last month to rule him out for the 2014-15 season.

“This may be hard for people to understand unless you’ve played NBA basketball, but there is an incredible difference between this game and swinging a golf club, hiking, even hitting a tennis ball or playing basketball at the park,” Nash wrote. “Fortunately those other activities aren’t debilitating, but playing an NBA game usually puts me out a couple of weeks. Once you’re asked to accelerate and decelerate with Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving it is a completely different demand.”

Nash also shared that one of his three bulging disks is torn and that he suffers from various nerve issues that make it even difficult to sit in a car. Nash also reported that he struggles sleeping because of severe cramping in both of his calves.

“That’s what you deserve for playing over 1,300 NBA games. By no means do I tell you this for sympathy – especially since I see these ailments as badges of honor – but maybe I can bring some clarity,” Nash said. “I’ve always been one of the hardest workers in the game and I say that at the risk of what it assumes. The past two years I’ve worked like a dog to not only overcome these setbacks but to find the form that could lift up and inspire the fans in LA as my last chapter. Obviously it’s been a disaster on both fronts but I’ve never worked harder, sacrificed more or faced such a difficult challenge mentally and emotionally.”

The Lakers signed Nash in 2012 to a three-year deal worth $28 million, which involved a sign-and-trade that involved sending two first and second round draft picks to the Phoenix Suns. Though the Lakers acquired a future Hall of Fame point guard, the deal backfired considering Nash played in only a combined 65 games amid injuries that included a fractured left leg and recurring nerve irritation in his back and hamstrings.

Nash posted 11 points and five assists in the Lakers’ preseason opener before sitting out the second game to rest. Nash then played in only one quarter of the Lakers’ third exhibition after reporting issues with his back. Nash has yet to retire, enabling the Lakers the ability to trade him as an expiring contract. They have also applied for a disabled players exception, which will allow them to sign a free agent or trade for a player worth half of Nash’s salary ($4.85 million). The Lakers also hope that Nash will serve as a mentor for the team’s younger players.

“I understand why some fans are disappointed,” Nash wrote. “I haven’t been able to play a lot of games or at the level we all wanted. Unfortunately that’s a part of pro sports that happens every year on every team. I wish desperately it was different. I want to play more than anything in the world. I’ve lost an incredible amount of sleep over this disappointment. Competitiveness, professionalism, naiveté and hope that at some point I’d turn a corner has kept me fighting to get back. As our legendary trainer Gary Vitti, who is a close friend, told me, ‘You’re the last to know’ – and my back has shown me the forecast over the past 18-20 months. To ignore it any longer is irresponsible. But that doesn’t mean that life stops.”

Lakers coach Byron Scott defended Nash following Thursday’s practice, saying that fans outraged over the video should “relax.” The Lakers also have declined to comment on the issue. Yet, there are some Lakers officials who were upset Nash posted the video, wishing he would have been more aware of the potential backlash.

“I’m doing what I’ve always done which is share a bit of my off-court life in the same way everyone else does,” Nash said. “Going forward I hope we all can refocus our energies on getting behind these Lakers. This team will be back and Staples will be rocking.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com