NBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES : Lakers Caught With Guards Down : Magic Joins Scott on Sideline After Straining Hamstring in 108-105 Game 2 Loss to Pistons

Alone with his pain near midcourt, Magic Johnson, his left leg dragging, twirled and flailed his arms in anger. Tears welled, then were suppressed, before Johnson finally hobbled off with a look of finality late in the third quarter Thursday night.

If Johnson needed solitude to deal with his strained left hamstring, the same type of injury that has sidelined teammate Byron Scott in the National Basketball Assn. championship series, the remaining Lakers had no choice but to try to hold their lead over the Detroit Pistons in Game 2.

But the Lakers simply did not have enough bodies and perhaps perseverance to prevent the Pistons from taking a two-games-to-none lead with a 108-105 victory before 21,454 fans at the Palace.

When Johnson left with this aggravation of an earlier hamstring tear, with 4:39 to play in the third period, the score was 75-75. But after Johnson retreated to the Laker locker room for treatment, the Lakers responded with a 17-9 run to take a 92-84 lead into the fourth quarter.

They lost the lead as quickly as they got it, trailing by seven points with four minutes left.

The Lakers went 9 minutes 17 seconds without making a field goal. They made only two of 14 shots in the fourth quarter. They commited several unforced and unnerving turnovers.

However, somewhat incredibly, they had a chance to even the series in the final seconds. But James Worthy, normally the most reliable of Lakers, missed the first of two free throws with two seconds left and the Lakers trailing, 106-104. He made the second shot, but after Isiah Thomas sank two free throws with one second left, the Lakers were finished for the night.

Hamstring injuries have seemingly replaced Achilles’ injuries as the popular wounds in what is shaping up as a Greek tragedy for the Lakers, who return to the Forum for Game 3 Sunday.

Johnson originally tore his left hamstring in February. He missed five games plus the five-day break for the All-Star Game. Thursday night, he said he felt twinges of pain early in the third quarter. Then, after having trainer Gary Vitti stretch his leg during a timeout, Johnson said he felt a tearing sensation while backpedaling on defense.

He grabbed the leg, waved off Vitti and dealt with his pain the only way he said he knew how. Dr. Robert Kerlan, the Lakers’ physician, said Johnson’s injury is not as severe as Scott’s. Johnson will be examined again Sunday, on the morning of Game 3.

But 30 minutes after the game, Johnson’s tone was one of finality, knowing that the Lakers have almost no chance against the Pistons if he is unable to play.

“It’s so unfortunate,” said Johnson, shaking his head. “You work so hard to get to this point. Seven months of hard work, and then for something like this to happen, I just can’t believe it.

“I was so upset (when the injury occurred). I’ve been sitting here asking myself that question, ‘Why me?’ I asked the doctors that. Not now. It could happen any other time this season. I could do it in the summer and it wouldn’t matter.”

Johnson’s injury occurred as the Lakers were hitting stride and shaking off the loss of Scott, the team’s third-leading scorer.

“The team, I heard, fought and played like champions,” said Johnson, who spent the rest of the game being treated in the locker room. “I’m happy about that. This is what we worked for. It’s just a tough situation.”

It was extremely tough for the Lakers in the final 16 minutes 39 seconds.

Up to that point, the Lakers had survived a 26-point first half by Piston guard Joe Dumars, who finished with 33 points, as well as a 9-3 Piston run that created the 75-75 tie when Mark Aguirre scored a layup with Johnson in pursuit.

After a Laker timeout, during which the players tried their best to ignore Johnson’s agony, the Lakers gathered themselves for a run that would have made Johnson proud. The teams traded baskets and were tied at 79-79 when the Lakers went on a rampage. It began when Worthy sank both free throws with 3:10 to play in the third quarter. Michael Cooper, who also finished with 19 points, then hit a three-point shot for an 84-79 lead.

After the Pistons commited a 24-second clock violation, Tony Campbell, who two minutes earlier had made a jumper, swished a three-point shot with Vinnie Johnson in his face. It was 87-79, Lakers, and the Pistons seemed shocked that the Lakers could get along so well without their starting backcourt.

The Pistons regained their composure in the final 1:20 of the quarter but could only pull within eight points entering the final period.

The Lakers then went flat in the fourth quarter. Consider:

--Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed three sky hooks and the front end of a free-throw opportunity, was called for traveling, turned over the ball with a bad pass and saw a basket nullified with an offensive foul that he strongly protested.

--Worthy committed an offensive foul, missed one of two free throws with 4:20 left and then missed the biggest free throw so far in the series with two seconds left and the Lakers trailing by two points.

--Orlando Woolridge followed an air ball, one possession later, by dribbling the ball off his body and out of bounds.

--And a confused Campbell committed a back-court violation with a minute and a half remaining and the Lakers trailing by four points.

But the Lakers still were in the game. After Dumars missed an open jump shot with 42 seconds to play, A.C. Green converted two free throws with 32 seconds left after being fouled by Aguirre. That pulled the Lakers within two points. Detroit called a timeout. When the Pistons inbounded to Thomas, he could not shake the Laker trap and called a 20-second timeout. The Pistons broke the trap on the next inbounds play, but Thomas fired an air ball. Campbell and Vinnie Johnson grappled for the ball, but the 24-second clock ran out.

The Lakers had the ball and eight seconds to try to tie it. Cooper inbounded to Green, who found Worthy on the right wing. With Dennis Rodman defending, Worthy drove the baseline. John Salley retreated to the middle and blocked Worthy’s inside shot, but Rodman was called for a foul after knocking Worthy to the floor.

An 80.7% free-throw shooter during the playoffs, Worthy’s first shot bounced twice off the front of the rim and dropped out. So did Laker comeback hopes.

Laker Notes

The Lakers ended the Pistons’ defensive streak of not allowing an opponent 100 points in 14 straight playoff games. . . . The Lakers shot 52.4% through three quarters before finishing at 45.5%. They had a 36-35 rebounding advantage. . . . “The team stepped forward, and they really felt they could win,” Coach Pat Riley said. “I think we gave Detroit something to think about. One of the most dangerous things in the world is a wounded animal. And we’re wounded.” . . . Magic Johnson, however, felt only dejection. “We were playing well,” Johnson said. “Everything was going to our plan. We were beating those guys. And then--I just hope it heals and I can get back. You hope it’s an injury that heals quickly.” . . . Only two teams have ever rebounded from 2-0 deficits to win the NBA title. Those teams were the 1969 Boston Celtics and the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers. Those teams had their star players, had their starting backcourt. Can the Lakers win without Johnson? “They’ve done it before,” he said, his voice cracking. He then slowly stood up and walked away.

LAKERS UNBOWED They say they’re not out of it yet. Story, Page 8.

DUMARS DOES IT ALL Inside or out, he scores for the Pistons. Story, Page 8.