Jennifer Hudson was drilled by a stray basketball at the Knicks game Tuesday night -- and while Common did his best to save the day ... she still appeared to end up with quite the ouchie.
The singer/actress cruised to Madison Square Garden with her boyfriend to catch New York's tilt with Steph Curry and the Warriors ... but unfortunately for the two, they got a little too close to the action in the tilt's second quarter.
Common tried to save Jennifer Hudson from the ball but ended up hitting her in the face pic.