There are some players in every sport who simply perform better when they're on the biggest stage. The NBA is no different.

Though the regular season is important for playoff qualification and seeding purposes, the stars really come out to play in the postseason.

This year, Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo was doing his best to add himself to the list of clutch playoff performers by tormenting the Boston Celtics in Games 1 and 2 of the first-round series, but an untimely hand injury has taken him out of commission.

Still, though, two of the most clutch playoff performers of the last 30 years are still in action this postseason and will look to add to their legacies as the NBA Finals draw nearer.

Here's a look at the five guys over the last 30 NBA seasons that were the best in the business when the game was on the line:

Dwyane Wade

D-Wade turned back the clock in a Game 5 loss to the Celtics on Wednesday night, scoring a game-high 26 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists.

However, Wade's best postseason work came as a member of the Miami Heat, where he won three NBA titles - one with Shaq as his primary sidekick and two alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

The 2013-14 season shows just how important the playoffs are to Wade, as he was only able to play in 54 games during the regular season due to injuries. He managed to lace up for 20 playoff games, though, and averaged 17.8 points as the Heat came up just short against the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Shaquille O'Neal

Even when Shaq dealt with injuries during the regular season, he always seemed to be ready to go when the postseason rolled around.

The best examples of that came as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2002 playoffs and when he was with the Miami Heat in the 2006 postseason.

In the 2001-02 regular season, O'Neal only played in 67 games, but managed to start 19 games in the playoffs, averaging a massive 28.5 points and 12.6 rebounds per contest as the Lakers claimed their third-straight title.

After appearing in only 59 games that season, he played in 23 games during Miami's title run, averaging 18.4 points and 9.8 rebounds a night.

Robert Horry

You don't get a nickname like "Big Shot Bob" without doing something to earn it.

From 1995 to 2007, Horry hit an outstanding number of clutch postseason shots for a guy who only averaged 7.0 points per game in the regular season.

Horry ended his 16-year career with an incredible seven championship rings. His final title-round hurrah came in 2005, when he was a member of the Spurs.

Against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5, Horry scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and also hit the game-winning three with 5.9 seconds left. The Spurs took a 3-2 series lead with that win and went on to claim the title in seven games.

LeBron James

Though King James had to leave Cleveland and take his talents to South Beach to win his first two NBA titles as a member of the Miami Heat, he returned to his home state two years ago and helped end the city's title drought last season.

LeBron is one of the best players ever to play the game, but even though he's great in the regular season, he takes it to a ridiculous level in the postseason.

He's made it to six straight NBA Finals, and based on his Herculean first-round averages of 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 9.0 assists in 43.8 minutes per game against the Pacers, he could be well on his way to a seventh consecutive trip to the championship round.

Michael Jordan

Just look at the photo above and you'll know everything you need to know about Michael Jordan. His will to win was so great it changed the NBA.

The greatest player of all time won six titles - two separate three-peats - and always seemed to have a big shot in him when the Bulls needed it the most.

He gave us the iconic "Flu Game" during the 1997 NBA Finals and followed that up with a title-clinching shot over Utah's Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

As great as he was in the regular season, no one over the last 30 years has delivered as many iconic playoff moments as MJ.