Jennifer Hudson was smacked in the face with a basketball — and crashed into by a New York Knicks player — while she and her boyfriend, Common, sat courtside at an NBA game Tuesday.

The chatter has intensified after alleged rumors of Jennifer ... without going into detail about what she was talking about, ...

Common reached his arm around the performer in a comforting gesture as one commentator yelled out, 'Protect Jennifer Hudson!' Another pointed out the state of her glasses and said, 'Oh no ...