It was a quick conversation between Alex Caruso and Bulls assistant coach Mo Cheeks.

Just before the Suns and Bulls were preparing to start the overtime on Wednesday, Caruso leaned into Cheeks and said, “If you would have told young Alex Caruso that you had to guard Kevin Durant one-on-one for game, he would have been pretty excited,’’ Caruso recalled. “Probably a little scared, but pretty excited.’’

What would young Alex Caruso have said if he was also told that he would not only have to guard the best scorer on the planet, but also chip in 19 points, play 30-plus minutes off the bench, and dig his starting unit out of an embarrassing first-quarter hole?

Grown-up Caruso did all that, and more.

Thanks to yet another eye-opening performance by arguably the most consistent player on the roster this season, Caruso came within a point of helping the Bulls to what would have been the signature win of the young season.

The reality of it?

It was a 116-115 overtime loss and a 3-6 record.

“My takeaway is we know what we’re capable of and it’s about doing it consistently,’’ Caruso said afterward. “When we’re on, we’re on and it looks really good, but when we’re off, everyone can tell there’s something missing.’’

Something was definitely missing at the tip-off, as the starters looked like a group that was unsure of when the game was supposed to start.

With the Suns finally getting All-Star Bradley Beal on the court for his season debut, it looked like his addition would be all the visiting team would need for an easy night.

And through the first seven minutes of the opening quarter that’s exactly what it was for Phoenix, as Durant & Co. were completely dialed in.

By the time Bulls killer Grayson Allen hit a three-pointer, the lead was 18, with the Suns jumping all over the home team for the 22-4 lead.

Coach Billy Donovan started subbing in his bench earlier than usual, and the climb back into the game began. Caruso was a big reason why.

“He was phenomenal,’’ Donovan said of Caruso. “Once he got into the game it kind of changed the flow of the game with what he did. He’s giving us a good boost.’’

Evident by the fact that the Bulls turned that early deficit into a deadlock of 57-57 with both teams going into the halftime locker room.

From the start of the second half and on, what once appeared to be a bye night for the Suns was a slugfest, as both teams traded blows.

Each time Phoenix seemed to grab the momentum – usually after another Allen three – the Bulls answered.

With just under four minutes left in the contest, Caruso tied the game 103-103, setting the stage for the nail-biter.

The Suns kept putting the ball in Durant’s hands, and Donovan kept countering with his defending All-Defensive first-teamer in Caruso. Caruso won late in regulation, forcing Durant into an awkward 18-foot fadeaway, and allowing the United Center faithful a free quarter of extra basketball.

And the showdown between the two wasn’t over.

With the Bulls up one in the overtime, Caruso again played irritant, tipping the attempted pass to Durant away for the steal, and then going down the court for a bank-shot three.

Keita Bates-Diop hit a critical three with 1:06 left, and after a Nikola Vucevic turnover, Jusuf Nurkic made it hurt with a layup.

The Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan had a chance to play hero, taking the 18-footer with the clock ticking down, but missed badly, as the Suns came up with the ball. Nurkic missed the first free throw and purposely missed the second, leaving 0.1 left on the clock for a miracle lob attempt, but it wasn’t to be as Caruso sailed one over a leaping LaVine.